


The Rabbit and her Journey Home

by IDoNotSleep



Category: Naruto
Genre: Additional Warnings Apply, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Gen, I'm Not Ashamed, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Lots of OCs - Freeform, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Uchiha Shisui Lives, teachers actually being teachers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-23
Updated: 2019-05-11
Packaged: 2019-05-12 20:34:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 8
Words: 20,812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14734737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IDoNotSleep/pseuds/IDoNotSleep
Summary: An alternate telling of the world of Naruto, full of original characters, world building up the wazoo, a living Shisui, and a look at how love can change the way things pan out





	1. 1. Waking up

Kakashi Hatake didn’t want his day to start like this. Granted, he didn’t want his day to involve doing anything like this at all. But the Hokage wanted him to test three new genin and be their sensei. He didn’t want to be there, hell no, but nobody argued with the Hokage.

So, when he walked into the Academy, he expected to see three genin waiting for him after being very, very late. He did not see that. Instead, he found a single young girl, looking very worried. Before he could say anything, she perked up at him.

“Oh! Uh, are, are you our new sensei?”

Kakashi arched an unseen brow at her. “Depends. Are you the only person on Team Seven, or are your teammates late?”

She frantically waved her hands in front of herself. “No! No, they, they were here! But Sasuke and Naruto had to leave fast! Shisui Uchiha came and picked them up.”

Shisui? Kakashi mulled a moment over the name. His kohai, now retired from ANBU and working for the Hokage, liked to cause trouble on occasion. Even if he was loyal and loving. But he had to have known today was a big day for Team Seven. “Did he happen to say why?”

The girl nodded and stood from her seat. “He said that they needed to go to the hospital right away. Something about Uchiha Itachi?”

Oh. Now that was a name he had not heard from.

Kakashi nodded a bit and turned, giving a wave. “Well, come on now. Better go meet up with your teammates at the hospital.”

He was part way down the hall when Haruno Sakura joined him.

 

 

Shisui watched his young cousin pace the floor. Lap thirty-three, he noted with a sigh. He didn’t blame Sasuke for his fear but watching him run holes in the hospital floor was kind of funny. It almost reminded him of an anxious young father, waiting for word of his first born.

He turned an eye to Naruto, sitting to his side, foot bouncing behind an ankle. His young ward was so nervous and scared, and he didn’t blame him. Itachi came in early that morning, shaking and exhausted and face caked in blood. Naruto didn’t see that, oh no. But the gossiping staff had not helped a tiny bit, discussing the hospital head currently with Itachi.

Shisui reached out to ruffle his hair. Naruto peeked up at him then, blue eyes wide and anxious. “It’s alright, Narucchi. Itachi is in good hands.”

The whiskered boy pouted a bit, before saying, “I heard the staff say he carved his own eyes out.”

Sasuke stopped mid step.

Shisui sighed, stopping his hand a moment. He was going to kill whoever talked about that. “I can’t say what he did, kiddo, but you know what he would do to come home to us?”

“Anything?”

“Anything he needed to.”

Sasuke turned back to Shisui, eyes dark. The elder Uchiha patted the seat beside him, waiting for the boy to join him. It took a second, but he did, and Shisui wrapped his other arm around him. Sasuke nestled into his side, and for his sake, Shisui decided to not tease him this time.

“Shizune-san will tell us what happened when she’s done with Itachi. And he does need to speak to the Hokage about what he found during these years.” His hand gently pressed into the flipped hair Sasuke sported. “Sorry I dragged you two here to worry. But, well—”

“When it comes to family, Uchihas do not bend or break.”

Shisui glanced up with his good eye. Kakashi Hatake strolled down the hall, followed by a young kunoichi. The same one, he noted, that he had to leave behind when he picked up Sasuke and Naruto. Ah. “Kakashi-senpai! Good to see you!”

Kakashi gave a lazy wave as the two boys peered up too. “Yo. I see you’ve kidnapped two of the three members of Team Seven. Care to explain?”

The elder Uchiha laughed and scratched his cheek a bit. “Sorry, senpai. I got word Itachi was back and here and I wanted to get the boys, but, well.”

Kakashi huffed, hands falling on his hips. “Let me guess. You got over excited about seeing him again and proceeded to interrupt my introduction time with my team.”

Shisui gave a guilty chuckle and shrugged. “Yeah.”

Kakashi made a soft humming sound at him. “Nah, it’s fine. We can just do introductions and all here instead. Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura.”

Shisui stood up and offered his seat to the little kunoichi. She offered him a smile and sat between the two boys, squirming a little as she settled in. He leaned back against the opposite wall, his senpai joining him.

“Alright, let’s try this again. Time to introduce yourselves. Likes, dislikes, hobbies, dreams, those kinds of things.”

Naruto raised a hand. “Sensei! You should introduce yourself first! For reference!”

Sasuke snorted, leaning on his knees. “Didn’t think you knew such a big word, dobe.”

“Oi! Shut it, teme! I know where you sleep!”

Sakura pinched Naruto’s ear, earning a yelp.

Kakashi waved a placating hand. “Maa, it’s fine. I can do it first. Alright, where do I start…”

Shisui snorted. “Your name, probably, or I’ll tell them to call you perv-sensei.”

Naruto and Sakura giggled at the elder Uchiha. Kakashi gave him a lazy look, before turning back to his students. “No, I am not perv-sensei. Call me that and I’ll send you back to the academy.”

Well, that shut them up.

“Alright, then, let’s see… My name is Hatake Kakashi. I don’t feel like telling you three my likes and dislikes. I do have some hobbies… as for my dream? I have no idea. Never thought about it.” He smiled, eye crinkling a little at the corner or his nose. “Like that.”

Naruto huffed, crossing his arms and pouting. “That wasn’t an introduction! All we got was your name!”

“That’s the point of an introduction, dobe,” Sasuke drawled, eyes rolling a little. More than a little.

“No, it’s not! I’ll show you a good introduction!” Naruto sat up straight, chest puffed proudly. “I’m Uzumaki Naruto! I like ramen and Shisui-nii-san!” Shisui couldn’t help but echo that happy-go-lucky smile. “I dislike the three-minute wait for ramen! I like spending time with my nii-san and this teme!” he pointed at Sasuke, who rolled his eyes. “My dream is to be Hokage!”

Shisui and Kakashi exchanged an amused look. So much energy in one little boy. “Alright, next?” Kakashi asked.

“Ah! I’ll go!” Sakura said. “I’m Haruno Sakura. The things I like, er.” She glanced to her side, briefly, before lacing her fingers together. “Well, the person I like, um. Er, anyway, I like baking and cooking and books? And, my dream? Er… I suppose become a strong kunoichi?”

“Sakucchi?” Shisui asked. “You forgot the things you dislike.”

“True,” Kakashi agreed.

“The thing I dislike? Er.” She paused, thinking. “Bullies, I’d say.”

Shisui recalled the late talks he had with Naruto. He always had a good word to say about her, be it how she looked when she was focused on school work or how she laughed at his pranks. It was a pity she seemed timid—seemed, he noted. Kunoichi were able to play up stereotypes civilians liked to make up.

“Next.”

Sasuke hummed from behind his hands. Oh, this ought to be interesting. “My name is Uchiha Sasuke. I have my likes—”

Naruto butted in, “He means ‘setting Shisui-nii-san’s hair on fire and tomatoes.’”

That earned the first glare. “—And dislikes—”

“He means ‘getting up before eight and sweet things.’”

The second glare. “And I have hobbies—”

“Fire jutsu studying and training with Shisui-nii-san—”

“Dobe! Shut it!” Naruto stuck his tongue out at him. “Ugh. And my dream is to kill a certain man and bring home Itachi’s bride and her daughters.”

Shisui let out a little sigh. Of course, he still thinks of vengeance. But it would need to be trained out of him. At least he was thinking about the family still waiting for him.

“Bride and daughters?” Sakura echoed. “I didn’t know you had a sister-in-law.”

Naruto nodded eagerly. “Mm! You probably didn’t get to meet them, Sakura-chan. Wakana-kaa-san was a housewife and Tsukiko and Kohaku didn’t get to go to the Academy.”

Sakura glanced to him. “Really? Why?”

Shisui gave a clap of his hands, then offered a smile. “Hey you three? I want to send you on a D-rank right now.”

All three—in varying degrees—perked up at him.

“I need you three to go pick us up some lunches! I did grab the boys before we could eat, after all.”

Sasuke huffed. “Knew it.”

Shisui dug in a pocket of his Jounin vest and handed a coin purse to Sasuke. “It’ll be good bonding for you three! Besides, consider this an apology for me interrupting your first team meeting.”

“Can we get ramen!?”

“No.” Naruto whined at him. “I want you three to run to Shuyuya’s place and buy yourselves bento. Sasuke knows what I like. Kakashi-senpai?”

Kakashi hummed. Free food was hard to pass up, after all. “Pork gyoza for me, thanks.”

Sasuke sighed and stood, his two teammates joining him. “Alright, we will.”

“Sasuke-kun?” Sakura asked.

He turned to her. “Shisui always sends us on runs for food when he’s talking about “important stuff”.”

Naruto made a pair of quotation marks with his fingers. “He’s probably just gonna tease Kakashi-sensei or something like usual.”

The three went off, Sakura between the two boys, chattering like old friends. Shisui couldn’t help but smile at the scene. Sasuke, even being set on his revenge, kept his gaze on his two new teammates. Naruto was all smiles, listening to Sakura and telling her about his kaa-san and sisters.

“Care to explain why you didn’t want them to talk about Tsukiko-chan?”

Shisui glanced at his senpai. “Oh, no, it’s fine to talk about her. But you and I need to talk.”

Kakashi raised an unseen brow. “I’m listening.”

He nodded, adjusting against the wall. “In about a month,” Shisui began, quietly, “Tsukiko will be returning to Konoha. Wakana and Kohaku will be coming with afterwards.”

Kakashi hummed a little. “Doesn’t seem very hush-hush, knowing that.”

“It’s hush-hush,” Shisui replied, “because Tsukiko will be living with the Hyuuga clan for a week or so. She’s regained her eyesight and Hiashi-sama wants to observe her abilities.”

That incited a raised brow. “I thought she was born blind, Shisui.”

The Uchiha nodded. “She was. But where she went, they were able to restore her eyesight to the fullest degree. When Wakana came to visit, she told the Hokage about the surgery she went under.”

“And it got to the council and Hiashi,” Kakashi finished. “I see. And you’re worried about her, so you’re asking me to pull a few strings in ANBU.”

Shisui sighed. “I’m that obvious, aren’t I?”

Kakashi nodded. “Alright, I’ll ask someone about keeping an eye out on her. Anything else I should tell them?”

“Tsukiko no longer looks like a Hyuuga or an Uchiha.”

A second passed, and he glanced at Shisui. “Care to explain?”

“Well,” he began, hands landing on his hips, “it’s a hell of a story, senpai…”

 

 

 

Takenaka Usagi was going to cry if the nurse brought another bowl of rice porridge to her room. Her last three meals had been rice porridge, and she desperately wanted something better.

She glanced out her window, overlooking the cityscape. The world was soaked in blooming pink cherry blossoms. The spring sky was blue and full of white puffy clouds. A breeze floated green leaves by her window.

She would miss this, Usagi realized softly.

Her inner turmoil was interrupted by a knock at the door. Usagi didn’t turn when she asked, “Kohaku?”

“Maa, Usagi, we need to train you to look when you answer people.” Kohaku laughed, her voice like a ping of a tuning fork on glass. She stepped into the hospital room, and the smell of something wonderful filled her nose.

Usagi turned fully, eyes bright. “Food?! You snuck in food?!”

Kohaku raised the bag, grin on her freckled face. “I did! Oyakodon for me, and kaarage for you.”

Tears bloomed in her eyes. Kohaku, for all her quirks, she decided, was literally amazing. The twelve-year-old grabbed a chair and pulled up beside Usagi. While the hospitalized girl went into the bag, Kohaku tossed her long-curled hair over her shoulders. “You doing alright, Bunny? Looked a little lost there for a second.”

Usagi held the oyakodon bowl in her hands. “I’m alright,” she replied. “Just… still trying to get it through my head that I’m not hallucinating.”

Her friend smiled, taking the bowl and peeling off the lid. “I assure you, I’m real and so is everything else around you. You aren’t going to wake up blind again.”

She smiled, taking a second to investigate the clear lid of the kaarage box. Blue eyes, she noted. Yellow hair—no, not yellow, she had to remind herself. Blonde was the term the doctors and Kohaku used. She looked nothing like any of her beloved friends. Her primary care physician had asked if Usagi’s parents were foreign.

Oh, if they knew.

“Bunny?” Usagi glanced up at Kohaku. “You alright? Did I get the right kaarage you like?”

Usagi offered a placating smile. “You did. I’m alright, I promise. Where are the others?”

Kohaku shrugged before replying, “Myeong had lessons with her teacher today, and Seiko and Rena had a shopping date planned out. Sounds like Seiko wants a cute new outfit and needs Rena to beard her.” Both girls rolled their eyes. “She picks one fight and suddenly the entire shopping district thinks Seiko is insane.”

“No need to tell me,” Usagi hummed, munching on some chicken. “Maybe one day they’ll understand that Seiko is the girliest girl who ever girled and just wants to wear pretty things.”

“Same day they stop telling Myeong to go back to Korea.”

“Which is never.”

“Yup.”

Usagi sighed and shook her head a bit. “Their loss, I suppose. Seiko loves all the pretty things in the shopping district.”

Kohaku nodded, pointing her chopsticks at her. “If she had it her way, she would buy every singly pretty, sparkly outfit she could wear.”

The two girls burst into a fit of giggles.

After a moment, Usagi glanced out the window briefly. A single leaf sat on the windowsill. She paused, watching it lift with a breeze and flutter away. She heard Kohaku asking for her attention again, but Usagi didn’t speak.

“Kohaku?” Her voice felt deeper. Felt not like Usagi. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Usagi?”

“Do you. Do you ever feel like there is something different about you? Like the blissful world we get to live in really is a blessing? That… that you should have known a different life?”

The brown eyed girl furrowed her brow. “I don’t understand.”

Usagi glanced down. Maybe she didn’t know anything yet.

“It’s nothing, just me overthinking things. Do you think the others will come tomorrow?”

Kohaku’s scrunched face relaxed a bit. “Well, if they don’t, I will bring them myself!”

Usagi smile a bit, then took another piece of chicken. She wanted to enjoy being with them for a little longer.

She wanted to be Usagi a few days longer.


	2. 2. Goodbye the Peace

“Shisui told me something interesting today.”

Wakana paused mid-sip of sake and glanced at Itachi. Even with his eyes blindfolded, she could sense teasing in his face. “Something interesting? Shisui, gossiping? What a shock.”

The Uchiha chuckled softly, sipping his own sake briefly. “He informed me that Sasuke thinks you’ll be marrying me someday.”

Wakana barely held back her giggles. She didn’t want the youngest Uchiha to notice her, and then she would need to explain herself. Besides, he was very busy at the moment with his team, playing ninja hide-and-seek with his sensei and Shisui. Having such an extended family certainly helped with training.

“We’ll need to break his heart eventually,” Wakana mused softly. “I bet he wants us to be an official family under the Uchiha name.”

Itachi hummed, finishing his sake and reaching between the two of them for the bottle. His fingers carefully examined the bottle, finding the neck and gingerly gripping it. From his side, Wakana sighed. “You can ask for help, you know.”

“Mm, I know. But I can pour my own sake.”

He didn’t need to see Wakana’s face to know she was rolling her eyes.

The two were quiet for a moment, sipping sake and listening to the shouts of young voices. Wakana could hear Sasuke calling his jutsus, including the fireball jutsu he worked so hard on to impress Itachi. The five years after the massacre had left him wanting to be strong, to take revenge on the man who killed the family they built together. She wanted to regret not taking him with her across the border.

But she couldn’t regret it. Not when he got to stay with his cousin and with her son. Mikoto would be proud of him.

Wakana peered into her sake cup. She could make out her own brown eyes in the clear alcohol, light brown hair framing her face. She looked old. Much, much older than she was. She felt old, too. Between the massacre and her five years hidden from the villages, crow’s feet pressed beside her eyes and lines drawn beside her nose. Weariness filled her relatively young face, and her eyes were always lidded with an unending sleeplessness.

“Keep thinking so hard, Wakana, and you’ll start looking much older than you already look.”

The young woman grinned. “You say anything like that again and I’ll kill you in your sleep.”

Itachi’s chuckle was warm, affectionate. Her younger brother, Wakana realized, was nothing more than a brat. She reached out to pinch his ear, growling when he leaned away from her reaching hand. “Come back here, I want to pinch you.”

“Don’t be mean to a blind man, Wakana, I can’t see what you’re up to.”

She snorted. “Hush you. I know you can tell what I’m doing, being you can sense my chakra just fine.”

He smiled around his next sip of sake. Wakana hummed and leaned on a hand, looking into the blue sky. She took a final sip of her own alcohol and set it onto the patio. “We do need to discuss the girls, though.”

Itachi nodded. “We do, especially with Hiyashi wanting Usagi to train at the mansion for a week.”

“He’s going to be so heart-broken she doesn’t have the Byakugan,” Wakana remarked.

“We don’t know if she has the Sharingan, either,” Itachi muttered. “Her gaze has always been clouded over.”

“They actually have a name for that condition, in the other world.”

Itachi paused.

“It’s called cataracts. Most of the time they develop on older folks, but Usagi was born with congenital cataracts. The fact they removed them and she didn’t have any other conditions on it was short a miracle.”

“So they knew how to remove them because they understood such a condition?” Itachi asked. “Curious… even the healers here struggled with finding meaning behind her eyes.”

Wakana picked up the sake again, pouring a fresh cup. “They found it odd, too. The film on her eyes was thick enough to obscure her vision but was akin to a contact of some kind. They managed to take them off with shocking ease.”

“Odd.”

“Very.”

The two were quiet again, listening to shouts and a victory cry from Naruto—his cute squeaky voice was easy to recognize over all of them. Seems he found someone. Wakana barely held back a giggle; she could almost tell it was Shisui he found, since he was easy to recognize in a crowd. Or brush. Or a tree.

“The Sandaime asked me what we want to do with the compound.”

Wakana already had an answer. “Burn it. Every house they found a body. We can rebuild.”

“And your future husband? Do you think he’d be willing to live near us?”

“If I can convince him to move into an actual house—which I don’t think will be too hard, he’s been saving since he was in ANBU.” Wakana chuckled a little after her sip. “A house with a big yard.”

“Idealist,” Itachi accused playfully. He didn’t move away from her swatting hand.

“I told you to hush, didn’t I? Besides, until Kohaku and Naruto are ready to live away from me, I need room for them too.”

“What about me and Kohaku-onee-chan?” Wakana glanced over, offering a smile to her approaching boy. Naruto and his team came over, joining the two of them on the porch. “Hi Wakaa-san!”

Sasuke, settling in beside his elder brother, rolled his eyes. “At least call her by her proper title, dobe.”

“I’ll call her what I want, teme!”

The cute pink haired girl—Sakura, what a fitting name—sighed at her bickering teammates. “This is why we couldn’t catch Kakashi-sensei.” She sat besides Sasuke, and Itachi actually smiled a bit when he sensed her.

“I’ve known your sensei since my days in ANBU,” he told them. “He’s always been a squirrel to catch up to. Don’t feel too bad about not getting him this time.”

“Really, Itachi—nii-san? Was he weird then too?” Naruto asked.

“Weirder.”

“KNEW IT.”

Wakana admired her boy a moment. He’d grown so much while she was gone. When he was a little boy, her blond baby was truly an ankle bitter. Now he sat comfortably at her chest. Granted, he still had much of his baby fat in him, but still. He sported a high collar jacket, the Uchiha clan symbol on his back. The orange and dark blue seemed a little odd, but it suited him, somehow. Wakana reached out to tousle his hair, fondly smiling at how soft the spikey mass still was.

“Wakaa-san?” he asked her, eyes curious.

She smiled down at him, feeling her cheeks stretch in the grin. “It’s nothing, sweetheart. Now, where did your sensei happen to disappear to? I wanted to speak to him briefly.”

“Yo.”

Wakana squawked, toppling over onto the ground. The sake bottle was an unfortunate victim of her fall, and Itachi burst into laughter. She turned back over, faced with Team Seven’s chosen Jounin-sensei. Kakashi was squatted on his knees; for how long he had been there, she didn’t know. His visible eye crinkled when he waved. Wakana tried to regain some of her dignity and stood up from the ground.

“You, Hatake Kakashi, are—”

“Dashingly handsome?”

Wakana jolted. “No—”

“Charming beyond words?”

“Wha—”

“Maa, I know. A ninja worthy of all the books I can read.”

“Kakashi Hatake!” Wakana yelped, face turning red. “Ugh, you’ve turned into such a tease, you ridiculous man you!”

Said man chuckled, leaning on his hand perched on a knee. “And yet, somehow, you still agreed to marry me.”

There was a beat. Then two. Then a few more. The first to break the silence was Naruto, who looked between his sensei and his mom about three times before uttering “Marry?”

Wakana’s eyes darted to the white haired man, who simply gave her a look. She looked back to her stunned son, Sasuke’s adorable confusion, and Sakura’s perfectly shaped ‘o’ mouth. Itachi simply stood up, heading back inside.

The next twenty minutes, he noted with amusement, was full of Naruto’s confused shouting and Wakana doing her best to comfort him. He was glad he was picking up Tsukiko tonight.

 

 

“Wait. Wakana’s getting married?”

Kohaku flopped on her futon, making an annoyed noise. “Not right away, just within the next year. And not until I meet this guy and we talk a bit.” She set her hands on her belly, continuing, “I really don’t see the reason why. Who she marries really isn’t any of my business.”

Seiko paused from painting Rena’s nails to tut at Kohaku. “Now, now! I think it’s good she’s putting in effort for you two to get along.”

From her nest of blankets, Usagi sat up and stretched out her arms. Myeong shifted from under her to sit up too. “Did she tell you what he’s like?”

Kohaku waved a hand at her. “This and that. Former military, likes dogs and books, goofy and sarcastic and sweet.”

“That doesn’t sound too bad,” Rena commented, glancing at her orange painted nails. “Can you do a clear coat on these when they dry?”

Seiko arched a brow at her. “I can always redo them if they chip, you know.”

“Well, yeah, but I would rather not have you do them again! You know how the teachers get when you have things like nail polish on you.”

The girl scoffed, but she still held out one of her hands. “Myeong, the clear coats?”

Said Korean girl glanced over, dark eyes bleary from drowsing. But she did manage to go into the clear nail bag beside her, pulling out the clear coat and offering it up. “Mrr.”

“Eloquent,” Rena informed her.

“Aw, leave her be, Rena,” Usagi huffed. “You know she’s been busy! It’s hard being smart when you’re tired.”

Kohaku huffed a little, listening to the ensuing squabble with patience. As worried and nervous as she was about her mom marrying, she knew her friends would help settle things down. She pushed onto her hands, watching them bicker. Well, watching Rena and Usagi go at it. Myeong was muttering tiredly to herself, tying her peach hair in a bun on her head, and Seiko had the tiny clear coat bottle shaking between her index and thumb. She couldn’t help her smile. This peacefulness was what she needed.

Myeong yawned. “I dun’t mind,” he drawled a little. “I know Re-Re don’t mean anything by it.”

“She just likes looking sassy in front of us,” Seiko agreed. “Nails back, Rena, time for the clear coat.”

Said Spanish girl huffed and offered her hands again, giving her friend a long-suffering glare. “That being said, Kohaku, if she does marry him, what are you going to do?”

Kohaku hummed and curled in on herself, arms resting on her pulled in knees. “I guess I might live with them? Unless we all get into Myeong’s private school, and then I could live in the dorms with you all.”

Usagi smiled, leaning back against Myeong a bit. “I’m glad she’s getting married. Wakana deserves someone who can love her.”

“There’s also a joke about Christmas cakes to make here,” Myeong mused, hands going to Usagi’s hair and brushing it out briefly. “Mind if I put it up in a tie?”

“Go ahead, Myeong.”

“How do you want them? High, low, what do you want?”

“Can you do high and odango style?”

Myeong didn’t need to reply, only pick up a brush beside her and pull Usagi’s hair through. Kohaku leaned back again, listening to the chatter around her, closing her eyes.

If she got drawn on, she did, because the sweet sounds around her were a lovely lullaby.

 

 

Usagi woke in the middle of the night. She stood slowly, doing her best to not disturb the girls around her.

At her full height, she observed her friends. Kohaku rested on her back, dark hair a halo around her tanned head. Rena and Seiko curled together, fingers brushing in their sleep. Myeong slept against the wall, slouched and holding a pillow in her lap. Everything was quiet, calm, peaceful.

It felt cruel, breaking this.

But she turned to the patio of Kohaku’s apartment and opened the door to the cool night air. She heard cars far out on the roads. The world smell light. Usagi stepped onto the patio, pulling the blinds shut and letting the door click close.

She looked around behind her. The post box. A vending machine. A street light, shining onto the ground. A figure in the darkness—

Ah. There he was. Usagi brought a hand up and waved a bit. She watched the figure look up before leaping. He hit the vending machine. The fence. The roof beneath her. And landed finally on the railing, one hand pulling off his hood.

Shisui Uchiha offered a smile. “Hey, Tsukicchi. Ready to go?”

She nodded at the one-eyed man. As the man set down on the patio, Usagi glanced briefly back at the door, wondering about the four girls fast asleep. What would they think, come morning, when she was gone? Myeong would be worried, of course. Seiko and Rena would ensure nobody would forget her. Kohaku…

Kohaku was only a week away.

She jolted a bit when a hand set on her shoulder. Shisui’s concerned face greeted her. “Tsukiko?”

Usagi—Tsukiko—smiled at her uncle and shook her head. “I’m ready, Shisui-san. It’s time to return.”

 

 

When morning came to the apartment, Takenaka Usagi was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those curious: the joke Myeong spoke of was about a rather misogynistic Japanese phrase. Christmas cakes are tradition on the 25th of December, but as the days go on, they become less fresh and desirable. Women are often compared to Christmas cakes, up until their 25th birthday, when it is considered the time for them to marry. The longer they stay single, the 'less fresh' they become.  
> So yeah, gross.


	3. 3. Remember Me, Remember You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Couldn't resist an early post

“Don’t forget your coat, Kohaku.”

The teenager glanced up from her spot on the step, offering a little smile to her mom. “It’s warm enough without one, Mama. But… which one?”

Wakana gave her child a cheeky smile before plucking a cape off the hooks beside the front door. Kohaku noted the fluffy collar on it and the three eyehooks around the front. “Just in case you’re out late tonight.”

Kohaku gave her a look before she turned, letting her mother set the cape on her shoulders. “In case?”

“Mm,” Wakana replied. “I’ll be gone tonight and tomorrow but be back in the evening.” Her hands paused, settling her hands on Kohaku’s shoulders. “There’s some things we need to talk about, when I come back.”

The young teenager blinked a bit, before looking down. Lips dropped into a neutral frown, and she lifted her hands to squeeze the edges of her coat. It was so soft; the cape felt like a hug. It pressed tighter of her when Wakana wrapped her arms around the teen. One of her mother’s hands gingerly brushed the loose hair on her shoulders.

“Shh, sweetheart, shh,” she murmured, cheek pressed against the fur lining. “I know, I know.”

Kohaku blinked back wetness in her eyes. “I don’t want to leave until… until they find her.”

“I know, baby. I know. They will find her, I promise. And I won’t make you leave until we do.” She let her go, turning back to the hook and grabbing a sunhat. “I swear, I won’t marry anyone until she’s found safe and sound. I promise you, my darling.”

Kohaku turned and let Wakana set the wide-brimmed hat on her head. She nodded, and Wakana kissed her cheek. “Just go see your friends, dearest. If it might make you feel better, the Tabiki Shrine should be near your usual jaunt.”

A shrine visit. The idea made her smile a bit. Usagi liked going to the shrine on Christmas, saying ‘the gods probably want to celebrate too!’ Kohaku let out a sigh, looking up at her mother. “Alright, I’ll suggest it. Anything else?”

“The usual, no shenanigans, no nonsense, no causing trouble.”

Kohaku cracked a grin. “I make no promises,” she replied, stepping off the step and heading into the spring air.

 

 

The spring air burned her lungs.

“Ninety-eight!”

THUP!

“Ninety-nine!”

THUP!

“One hundred!”

TWACK!

Tsukiko paused to breath. Her lungs burned as she did so, but she needed it. As it served, she was still needing to work on her arm sets and striking the wooden training dummy required her full strength. After a moment of breathing, she sighed out of her nose. She went back into focus, shifting into her stance and kept a steady gaze on the dummy.

“Strike one!”

THUP!

“Tsukiko.”

She froze, briefly, before jumping to attention and turning to the source of the voice. Hiashi Hyuuga stepped off the porch and walked to her, and Tsukiko quickly bowed. The elder Hyuuga waved her up, and Tsukiko straightened up.

“I have been informed that Uchiha Itachi and Ningyomura Wakana will be late in retrieving you from the compound.”

Tsukiko blinked, brows raised. “May I ask the reason why, Hiashi-sama?”

“I do not know why,” he replied. “But they will not be able to come until later tonight. Consider this an opportunity to continue your training here a few hours longer.”

The young girl gave a sharp nod. Hiashi offered no warning as he turned away, and Tsukiko turned back to her dummy.

“Tsukiko.”

She froze.

“If you cannot break the disguise jutsu on your body, I will do so myself.”

It wasn’t hard to think of what he was talking about. Tsukiko no longer sported the typical dark hair of either the Uchiha or the Hyuuga clans. She did not bear the white eyes of her Hyuuga blood, nor the dark, intense gaze of the Uchiha.

Tsukiko Uchiha wore her butter-blonde hair in two odango buns on her head, tied off with red ribbons, and her eyes were a sapphire blue shade.

“My apologies, Hiashi-sama,” Tsukiko replied, gaze firm on the dummy before her, “but my appearance is not due to any jutsu.”

THWACK!

 

THWACK!

“Ow!” Myeong yelped, pushing away a tree branch with one hand and rubbing her sore nose with the other.

Kohaku glanced back over her shoulder. “You aight, Myeong?”

“I’m good,” she replied, waving off Kohaku’s concern.

“That’s what you get for being more than 160 at thirteen,” Rena huffed. “Even the trees are telling you ‘too tall, must punish.”

From behind them, Seiko let out a snort and skipped a few steps to bounce in front of them. “Re-Re! Don’t be rude! You’re just mad you’re still tiny.”

“I am not tiny!”

Kohaku let out a little laugh and headed up the steps to the shrine. When she suggested the idea to them, Kohaku had been worried they’d say no or something otherwise. A ridiculous worry, she realized in hindsight, when they jumped at the chance to give the local god heartfelt prayers.

They loved Usagi, as much as she did.

As the four girls offered bows to the shrine gate, Rena asked, in a soft tone, “Do you think she’ll hear us?”

“Sakuya-hime?”

“Yeah.”

Myeong sighed. “Not an unreasonable question, I say. Sakuya-hime isn’t exactly the protector of lost children.”

“Are you kidding?” Kohaku asked as they began to wash their hands. “Of course she will. Usagi came up here at Christmas just to give her a cake!”

“That was a cold Christmas too,” Seiko mentioned before sipping water from her hand. “She even insisted we stay for an hour at least.”

“My fingers were num by the time we packed up!” Myeong laughed a bit.

Kohaku hummed at them. “See? That’s special, you know. Usagi brought her a cake for Christmas! I’m sure Sakuya-hime will listen to our pleas.”

There was a united hum around her. The four girls left the water place and headed to the shrine. The ground around them was covered in beautiful pink cherry blossoms; leaves fluttered into offertory. Hats were removed, coins tossed in. The four girls offered two deep bows to the goddess, then pressed their hands together in prayer.

_Please, Sakuya-hime,_ Kohaku begged, _please, let Usagi be safe and alive. Let her be alright._

The wind whistled against her ears.

The four of them clapped twice.

Then bowed once more.

As Kohaku rose from her bow, a stray gust of wind rush around her head.

And a thought appeared.

_Tsukiko is safe._

Tsukiko? The name felt odd inside her. Familiar, yet strange. Right, yet incorrect. Kohaku watched the offertory, watched a stray leaf fall in again.

_Tsukiko is safe. You already knew she was safe._

“No, I didn’t!”

Kohaku’s friends glanced over to her. Myeong’s hand settled on Kohaku’s quivering shoulder. Her worried voice tried to pierce the sudden fog in her head, but Kohaku could only hear her thudding heart.

That, and a voice that sounded too much like hers.

_You know she’s safe. Tsukiko is safe with your family. She has always been safe with them._

“Who the hell is Tsukiko?!”

Seiko bolted to her side, brushing back loose hair. Kohaku’s eyes felt too big for her skull, like they’d pop out if she dared move. “Kohaku? Kohaku, can you hear me?”

_You know who she is. You’ve always known who she is._

“No, I don’t!” Kohaku yanked back, away from her concerned friends, head bowed as she dropped to her knees. Everything around her rushed. The wind blew around her head in circles. The scent of the cherry blossoms invaded her. A stray leaf landed before her.

Myeong knelt beside her. Rena pulled out her cell phone. Seiko looked ready to bolt, the second Myeong told her to go.

_Breathe, Kohaku. You know everything is alright. You know who Tsukiko is. You’re panicking because you’re pulling out of a genjutsu._

“What the fuck is a genjutsu?!” the girl screamed.

“Kohaku!” Myeong shook her friend’s shoulder.

Rena whistled, drawing Myeong’s eye. “I’m calling the ambulance, just get her settled!”

“I’ll meet them at the bottom of the shrine,” Seiko announced, heading running toward the steps.

“NO!”

The world went silent. Kohaku took slow, deep breaths, trying to calm down, listening to the voice inside her head.

_You know what a Genjutsu is, Kohaku._

_You know where Tsukiko is._

_You’ve always known._

The wind died down. Everything was quiet. Myeong’s gentle words soothed her racing thoughts. Once her pounding heart lulled back into rhythm, Kohaku brought her head up.

Everything was clear. Everything was right again. She remembered everything.

“I know where Usagi is.”

 

 

“Where’s Tsukiko?”

Wakana gave her young son a smile and patted his head. “She’s still at the Hyuuga compound, but Itachi is going to get her now. You just rest and let us handle things.”

Naruto wiggled in his futon like an overexcited puppy. “But I want to see her now!”

“Indulge me a bit and rest? Just for an hour?”

The blond boy glanced up at her. Wakana put on her best puppy eyes at him, knowing how quick he was to fall when she did anything like that. Within moments, Naruto huffed, rolled onto his side, and grumbled, “Fine.”

Wakana hummed slightly. She leaned over him again and planted a kiss to his temple before standing. “I’ll be back in an hour, sweetheart. Just try to rest.”

“Fineeeeeeeeeee,” he whined again, shuffling a little more under his blankets.

Wakana quickly left after that, closing the door to hear soft, tired snores. Not sleepy, her ass. He just returned from Wave Country and the most difficult mission in his short ninja career; there was no way he wouldn’t be ready for five bowls of Ichiraku’s and a nap. The young mother shook her head and headed down the hall toward the outside patio.

In the clear evening air, Kakashi sat on the ledge, leaning on his knees. Wakana tutted at him before sinking beside him, resting her head on his shoulder. “I’m glad you came home.”

Kakashi nodded, head thudding on hers. “Not the first time a client has lied, you know. Won’t be the last, either.”

Wakana made a little noise of agreement as she slid her hand into his. Kakashi hummed back and squeezed. They were quiet together, soaking in the slowly darkening sky. After what felt like no time and forever, Wakana asked, “So what’s the plan now?”

“Hokage changed the mission to an A rank and all three will be paid as such, along with the Demon Brothers’ bounties. Until Sasuke heals, we’re stuck on D-ranks. But I do think they’re about prepared for the Chuunin exams in a few months.”

That made Wakana glance up at him. “Already, Kakashi?”

“Maa, sounds like you don’t believe me.”

“Kakashi, they’re kids. Grown adults go into the Chunin exams and fail.”

For once, the masked man didn’t laugh. Instead, he squeezed Wakana’s hand in his own and told her, “Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura are ready. They have incredible teamwork for such a young group, and between Sasuke and Naruto’s strength and Sakura’s genius, I have a feeling my Genin would pass.”

Wakana was quiet, watching Kakashi’s lips from inside the mask. After a moment, she sighed and sank deeper into him. “Maa, sounds like you’ve gotten attached.”

“You be quiet.”

The young woman laughed, bouncing both her and Kakashi beside her. For a few moments more, Wakana and her fiancé sat together, before the young woman sat back.

“Come on, love, time to get dinner started. I’ve got work to do.”

 

 

I’ve got work to do, Kohaku told herself as she picked the lock to Wakana’s room.

There was so much to do in such a short amount of time. She needed to meet her friends back at the Tabiki shrine in less than three hours. She needed to pack an emergency bag. She needed to find the scroll.

CLICK.

In. Kohaku peered in before opening the door. She looked around, taking in the surroundings. A bed. A desk. A bookshelf full of novels. The closet—yes, there. Wakana hid Christmas presents there every year. Kohaku headed in, pulling the door open and starting to look through the fabric.

By all means, Kohaku shouldn’t remember anything. She shouldn’t know about the other world. She shouldn’t know about chakra, her past, who Usagi—who Tsukiko—really is. But somehow, some way, she remembered. She remembered the secret that brought the three of them to their tiny town. She remembered why they couldn’t remember anything for the last five years.

Kohaku had pulled out of—or, more likely, been pulled out of—a genjutsu effecting her memories. And now she knew where Tsukiko—Usagi—probably vanished to.

Behind a thick coat, Kohaku found a small indent in the wall. She peeled back the paper there before smiling a little. There it was. Kohaku carefully pulled out the scroll, supporting it from both ends. It was surprisingly heavy for something that contained a single jutsu.

On Wakana’s bed, Kohaku spread the scroll open. She had never personally seen the guide to the Amanogawa Crossing no Jutsu, but her seven-year-old self could remember her mother performing the hand signs. Each movement was laid out for her in dark ink. Rabbit. Bird. Dragon. Bird. Ox. Rabbit. Bird. She slowly ran through the signs, reading the text with careful consideration. She’d need ink for this, too. Drawing the opening seal fresh would work better than a previously doodled paper seal.

This had to work, Kohaku decided. She had to open the gate to Konoha on her own, without her mother’s help. If her suspicions were true, Usagi had to leave without saying goodbye because of politics. They wanted her to vanish into the night, like a ghost, and if she was right, Wakana and Kohaku would have too.

But that wasn’t fair. Not to Myeong and Rena and Seiko. Not to the friends Usagi and she loved. Kohaku knew changing things would be hard, but she had to. They needed to see Usagi as she was, before she lost her memories and the life she knew before.

They deserved to see Usagi as Tsukiko.

She knew she was breaking a lot of rules. She knew she was going to get into huge trouble. But for her friends, Kohaku would do anything. The young woman climbed onto the bed and sat cross legged. She closed her eyes and let a rush of chakra flood her body and mind.

“Hello, old friend,” she greeted. “We’ve got work to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A couple notes about this chapter:  
> -The name of the shrine Kohaku and friends visit, Tabiki, 焚火, translate to 'firelight'. I found it to be fitting for a gate to another world.  
> -The jutsu name, Amanogawa Crossing, references the Milky Way, which, in 'The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl', separates two lovers from each other.


	4. 4. Across the Amanogawa

Rena wrapped her poncho tight to her body. “Ugh, where is this wind coming from? Too cold.” She pressed into Seiko’s side, muttering curses to herself. “How can you dress so lightly? Aren’t you cold?”

The other girl snorted at her. “You’re always cold, Re-re.” Still, she lifted her arm to welcome the shivering Spaniard closer to her side. Seiko looked up at Myeong, who stood a foot or two away watching the road. “You’re not gonna get into trouble for being out after dark, right?”

Myeong glanced her way. “No worries. The teachers stop doing rounds after eleven.”

“Don’t sound very responsible,” Rena grumbled, face almost wrapped in her poncho. “A teenage girl could sneak out with poor supervision like that.”

“Better for me than them,” Myeong replied.

It was dark, spring cool coming down on everyone again. Normally, the trio of girls would be wrapped up in their own rooms and beds, preparing for dreams, but something else called them. After Kohaku’s panic attack at the shrine earlier, she insisted the three come back later that night, under the cover of darkness.

It was strange, to say the least. Between Usagi’s sudden disappearance a week prior and Kohaku’s terrifying screaming fit at the shrine a few hours earlier, Myeong knew something was very wrong. She gingerly gripped the dog tags hanging around her neck. Whatever Kohaku wanted to do here, she didn’t know.

_“I need you three back here later tonight. Wear warm hiking gear. Bring a weapon, if you need to.”_

Whatever it was, it was important.

“Hey, I’m here.”

All three girls glanced towards the voice. Kohaku came up the road, dressed warm like they were. Tall boots, thigh high stockings, shorts, and her favorite cloak. However, Myeong noticed she was carrying a bag heavy with things on her hip.

That, and a scroll under her arm.

“What on earth are you carrying?” Rena asked as she stood up.

“Supplies, mostly,” she replied, setting the bag down for a moment. “Bandages, emergency water, clothes, things like that.” She knelt and rummaged through, showing each item as spoken.

Rena and Seiko exchanged a very baffled look while Myeong approached the girl. “Kohaku… Why do we need all of this?”

The girl paused, then looked up at Myeong. There was an intensity to her brown eyes, a look no one had seen before. It made Myeong stagger back a hair. Kohaku rose, and even her stance seemed stronger. Her head was held high. Her chin was sat firm. She stood tall and steady, like a honed warrior.

Even Myeong felt her heart stop for a half second.

“There’s a lot of things I need to explain to you three,” she began, voice firm and steady. “A lot of things that will take a long time to explain. I don’t want to frighten you all, but… It’s a secret Wakana kept from all of us for the last five years.”

Worried glances were exchanged. Seiko stood up, hands shoved into her hoodie’s pocket, and asked, “Is there anything we can know right now? Anything you can show us?”

Kohaku hummed softly, then said, “Maa, I think I have something I can do.”

Myeong felt it first. The air around Kohaku shifted, grew cool and smelled of… of something. Myeong’s mouth filled with the taste of rainwater and pine. She gulped and glanced over to Seiko and Rena, watching their baffled faces.

Seiko’s eyes were bright with shock and her entire body was slack with awe. Rena gripped her hands together tight, as though in prayer. The world around them felt anew, strange and bright and leaving them all unable to process it.

“What was that?” Myeong whispered, terrified to break the aura around them.

Kohaku smiled at them, teasing like usual. “I have a story to tell you all.”

 

 

Shisui gingerly patted Tsukiko’s blonde hair. In her sleep, her face was slack, and lips were parted, soft sighs coming out in little puffs. She looked so tiny compared to him. A memory of her in a light yellow and peach kimono came to mind, and he shook it off. She wasn’t a little doll anymore. Nobody would treat her like that ever again.

He stood, humming softly to himself. Itachi had gone to the kitchen to make tea (how he knew how to while blind, he didn’t know, but far be it from him to doubt him) and left him to tuck the tiny rabbit into bed. She did look like a little bunny now, with her dango-style twin tails and her still precious twitchy nose. So small and soft and sweet, he couldn’t help but think.

Little rabbit, he thought fondly, leaving her room to step outside.

The air was cool in the early spring, and Shisui took a deep breath. Konoha this time of year was caked in cherry blossom flowers, and Shisui’s home was no exception. The floral smell surrounded the village, engulfing it in the perfume. Shisui loved this time of year.

“Done admiring the air, Shisui?”

Said Uchiha turned to his bad side. Itachi carefully came over, both hands busy with holding two cups of green tea. Shisui rushed over, taking the plate from his cousin. “You really should let me help you out more! You have less eyes than I do.”

Itachi smiled, just a little bit at him. “I am fine, Shisui. No need to worry so much about me.”

“Next thing you’ll tell me is that you’ll make Tsukicchi’s favorites to welcome her home.”

“Already have the udon resting and marinating the pork.”

Shisui groaned aloud, only making Itachi smile back at him. Only the heir of the Uchiha would try to make udon and char sui pork for the returning child. “You are an idiot,” he informed Itachi.

Before Itachi could laugh, he paused visibly. His head cracked around, up towards the Naka shrine. Shisui watched him wander towards the outside door and peer out. Itachi was still as a statue, like he was searching for something.

“The shrine,” Itachi muttered. “Shisui, go get the Hokage. Something is happening.”

 

 

“Let me tell you a little story. Before Usagi and I were here, we lived somewhere else. Somewhere we didn’t remember, because it needed to be a secret.

“You see, Usagi wasn’t always Usagi. Five years ago, she went by the name her birth mother gave her—Tsukiko. Written with the kanji for the moon and child. She was born completely blind, with her cataracts in place. In most homes, this would be an issue. But several things happened in quick succession after this.

“First, within minutes of Tsukiko’s birth, her mother, Miyako, died. Second, Tsukiko’s birth father, Takeha, disowned the blind newborn.”

“Wait, he did what?!”

“Exactly what I said, Seiko. Takeha came from a very traditional clan, and his family believed Tsukiko’s blindness would be a serious detriment to them, and immediately demanded Miyako’s family take her. To them, she was broken and wrong. She would never be able to learn skills to tend to a house or become a warrior. Tsukiko was a failure from birth to them and wanted her gone.

“Thankfully, Miyako’s family had several nursing mothers at the time. One was my mother; the other was Mikoto Uchiha.”

“Uchiha? Is that Usagi’s family name?”

“Right. Tsukiko was taken under their united care. She was raised with me and the two boys we consider our brothers. And that was where we lived for the first part of our lives. All of us learned the arts from an early age, kept safely away from the other world. We were happy. Very happy.”

“Kohaku?”

Said girl looked up from her work on the strange design on the ground.

“What, exactly, were these arts?”

A devious smile spread across Kohaku’s face. She made her way to the center of the circle and stood firm.  Around her feet were hundred of ink drawings, all surrounding a spiral. Kohaku gestured to the others, bringing them in closer and pointed to her shoulders. Three hands settled on her back and both shoulders.

“Allow me to demonstrate,” she began as she clapped her hands together, “my ninja arts.”

 

ANBU surrounded the outside of the shrine. By Shisui’s count, there was at least thirty of them in the trees around the gate. Half of them he knew by their codenames. Half were brand new to ANBU. But this kind of mission wasn’t something he had ever seen himself.

The Sandaime stood at the ready, focused firmly on the gate. Beside him, an ANBU sensor kept watch, searching for chakra signatures. To his other side, Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Shisui waited with him.

“Nobody should be able to perform the Amanogawa Crossing aside from Wakana,” Shisui insisted. “It’s a Kekkei Genkai!”

Itachi remained as stoic as he could, but both hands gripped tight together.

“Kohaku… what if she learned it?”

The Sandaime glanced Itachi’s way. “Is it possible she did?”

Both Uchiha paused. “Itachi?” Shisui prompted.

The younger of the two took a moment to consider. “It is possible. Kohaku had basic training in ninjutsu and chakra control. Wakana has yet to retrieve the scroll from the world.”

“Kohaku was never taught the jutsu!” Shisui insisted. “Not to mention her memories should still be bound!”

Itachi’s face hardened. “She still has her chakra, Shisui. For all we know, our little Kohaku is far stronger than she’s shown any of us.”

 

Kohaku brought her hands to her lips. She cut her thumbs on her canines, then brought them back together.

“Didn’t that hurt?” Seiko asked.

“Nah.”

Rabbit. Bird. Dragon. Bird. Ox. Rabbit. Bird.

Chakra—her own, feeling like rivers and bamboo—ran through her body. It pushed into her fingertips and down through her legs and through her shoes. On the ground surrounding them, the dark ink began to glow bright and uncalled for wind surrounded them.

A bright blue glow surrounded Kohaku’s joined hands, stilled in the Bird position. She felt her friends huddle closer to her body as she remained focus on the torii gate.

“Let’s go,” she murmured. “Barrier Break! Amanogawa Crossing!”

 

 

Tsukiko made a little sleepy noise. She rubbed her eyes as she sat up. Her body was aching from her week-long workout, but curiosity spurred her on. Something was strange.

The young girl left her room, rubbing her eyes as she went. Beneath her feet, the floor creaked softly. She paused once she found a window, looking out towards the sky.

“Tsukiko-chan?” She turned to her left, seeing one of her brothers join her. “What’s going on?”

“Narucchi,” she murmured, “Shh. I think something’s happening at the Naka Shrine.”

His eyes still blurry, Naruto joined her looking out the window. Tsukiko edged over to let him, but stayed focused on the sky. It’s couldn’t be. Wakana was still here!

But her suspicions were proved true. The hill hiding the Naka shrine lit up in chakra blue, and she knew.

“Kohaku, what are you doing?!” she gasped, yanking back to bolt down the hall. Naruto nearly toppled over, but he stayed steady enough to shout after her.

“Tsukiko-chan! What’s going on?”

She didn’t pause. “Naruto, go wake Sasuke. Kohaku broke the barrier!”

 

 

Seiko had seen a lot of things, but there was something especially strange seeing a friend use some kind of magic to create a portal to another world. Even more confusing was seeing how calm she looked performing the act. The entire torii gate was lit up bright blue, a color she would forever associate with the supernatural.

She gripped Kohaku’s shoulder tight while her other hand reached to grip Myeong’s coat. The girl noticed Rena on her other side, eyes wide in shock. There was a soft murmuring from her, probably a frightened prayer in her native Spanish. No shame in that, honestly. If she was religious, Seiko would be doing the same.

Kohaku took a slow, deep breath. She peered up over her shoulder to Seiko and nodded. “Let’s go get our Usagi.”

“She’s… in there?” Myeong asked, free hand gripped around the bow at her back.

Kohaku gave a little shrug. How could she be so calm? “It’s not that she’s in there. It’s that she’s from there.”

The three girls froze at her next words.

“I am, too, actually.” She straightened up and gestured at them with her folded hands. “Come on, you lot. Let’s go get Usagi.”

 

Tsukiko, Naruto, and Sasuke kept close to the brush outside the edge of the shrine. Around them, multiple ANBU were at the ready to strike. The Sandaime was eerily calm, watching the blazing blue gate. Tsukiko gripped her brothers’ hands tight.

“It’s her,” she whispered. “It’s Kohaku.”

“Tsuki, are you sure?” Naruto whispered back.

She nodded. Their conversation ended abruptly when the gate glowed brighter, turning almost white. Tsukiko watched, with horrified eyes, not one person walk through the gate.

Four. Four young girls, four girls she knew and loved.

 

The Sandaime held off his ANBU without a second thought. The only real threat among the four young girls coming through the blue gate was one he knew from youth. Even if she was dressed differently and had spent five years hidden from the village.

Ningyomura Kohaku. The young daughter of Ningyomura Wakana looked like a tiny, more forceful version of her mother. Dark brown eyes, light brown hair, dressed in almost ninja approved clothes. He wasn’t surprised she was behind this, really. If anything, he should have expected the force of nature to do this earlier.

What did surprise him, however, were the three girls behind her. To her right was a dark-skinned girl, sporting short black hair and green eyes worthy of the Haruno clan. She was far too frightened to really take everything in, considering her shivers and the white knuckled grip she had on Kohaku. Not a threat, he decided right away.

On her left was another girl, hair tied in a pair of loose braids on each shoulder. While she wasn’t as afraid, her eyes were wild with nervousness, akin to a stray cat. She was small enough he could hide her in his robes, if he wished. Still, the Sandaime decided, she could be a threat.

The tallest of them, the most obvious, she was the clear threat. She was planted between the other two girls, one hand reached behind her back to grab at a bo staff situated there. She was on guard, eyes darting around the surrounding grounds, ready to strike. There was a faint scent of blood lust rising from her; perhaps, the Sandaime decided, she was a ninja as well.

A strange, motley group of girls for Kohaku to bring through the barrier.

The glow behind them faded as they stopped walking. Kohaku released her hands and proceeded to drop like a rag doll. The largest of the girls, the most frightening, immediately took her hand off her staff to catch her and ease Kohaku to the ground.

“Kohaku?” he heard her murmur. The brave girl opened her eyes a bit to smile.

“Welcome to my home,” she whispered. “Welcome to Konoha.”


	5. 5. Warm and Kind, Flaming and Enraged

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LISTEN I HAVE AN EXPLANATION
> 
>  
> 
> ...I don't have one

“Do you think? With the head I literally pushed out of myself? At all?”

Kohaku cringed. Of all the details to bring up, did she really need to say that? She was far too tired to smart off at her. Kohaku, instead, pressed her head into Myeong’s shoulder.

“And bringing your three friends! Myeong, Rena, Seiko, I love you three, but bringing all of you through could have killed her! Did you think of that at all?”

“In all fairness, ma’am!” Myeong shot a hand up. “We had no idea why the tori gate was glowing in the first.”

Kohaku snorted when her mother groaned aloud. Bless Myeong for her unwavering honesty.

On Myeong’s other side, Seiko nodded frevently. “It’s true! Kohaku was really vague about everything happening so we weren’t sure what was going on.”

And cursed Seiko for her blunt honesty.

The pale haired man standing in the doorway nearby gave a little wave. “Maa, still was dangerous, Kohaku-chan. It may have gone well, but you still could have killed yourself. And what good would that have done?”

Rena glanced up at the man, eyes narrowed. “She still woulda gotten us here. Don’t doubt how stubborn she is.”

“We more than covered that today.”

Wakana huffed, drawing everyone’s attention back to her. “That was dangerous, Kohaku! You can’t ever do that again.”

Kohaku huffed. “I regret nothing.”

“Of course you don’t,” Wakana sighed. She pressed a tired hand into her face. “Still gotta punish you for this stupidity, though.”

“Wakana-san?”

The small group glanced over to the tiny girl. Tsukiko—Usagi, she wasn’t sure—sat seiza style on the floor, still decked in her jammies. Even the cute print on them couldn’t soften her stern face. A girl her age shouldn’t be able to make a face.

“Please do not punish Kohaku any further. She’s already accomplished her goal and is experiencing the side effects. Her inability to sass off is more than enough for her.”

“She’s not wrong,” Rena remarked. Kohaku half-heartedly batted a hand at her direction. “See? She’s so tired she’s almost drunk.”

Wakana gave her daughter another look, then sighed aloud. “I suppose I can back off for now. Come morning the Hokage is going to have words with you, but for now? Bed. All of you.”

Myeong shot up her hand again. “Where will we sleep, Ningyomura-san?”

“I had Sasuke and Naruto set up futons in Tsukiko’s room. We’ll set up proper rooms later, if you all are permitted to stay.” Wakana stood then, not wobbling a bit from sitting so long. “Kakashi, can you get Seiko and Rena? They’re the smaller of the three.”

At the words, Seiko yawned aloud.

“Mhmm,” said man replied, joining her. Wakana easily lifted her daughter off Myeong, laying Kohaku’s head on her shoulder. Myeong stood too, worry screwing up her expression. “Relax, kid. She won’t hurt her.”

“I know she won’t!” Myeong objected. As Kakashi picked up Seiko and Rena, one under each arm, Tsukiko gingerly tapped her friend’s shoulder. Myeong turned, eyes softening a bit.

“Dango hair,” she murmured.

“Uh huh,” Tsukiko replied. She took her friend’s hand, then nodded at Wakana. The adult nodded back and Tsukiko gently led her friend out.

The strange parade was very short. Tsukiko found her room quickly and opened the door with her free hand. Inside, the tatami room was filled with futons. Naruto and Sasuke looked up from setting up two more, and Tsukiko gave them a look.

“Explain.”

Naruto shuffled and tucked his hands behind his head. “We gotta keep an eye on you, Tsukiko-nee-chan!”

Sasuke huffed and patted his futon down. “I’m not keeping an eye on you; I’m making sure he doesn’t prank Kohaku.”

“I will not, teme!”

“Sure you won’t, dobe.”

Wakana walked in, shaking her head. From her shoulder, Kohaku managed to lift her head up. “You two gotta shut it if you’re gonna sleep by us. Or I’m letting Rena draw on you both.”

Kakashi chuckled from where he sat Rena and Seiko down on two futons. “Still need to teach you three to sleep light. Perhaps I should start that tonight?”

There was a unanimous glare from every person in the room. Kakashi shrugged, giving up within seconds of the suggestion. Wakana laid her daughter down on the futon and tucked the stubborn girl into the warmth. Tsukiko curled up in the bedding beside her, and Kakashi went about setting up Rena and Seiko. Myeong briefly picked up her blanket and pillow and sat against a wall, head holding the pillow to the wall and blanket laid on her lap.

There were a lot of questions needing to be answered, but for the moment? Everyone sleeping in the room was too exhausted to move. Wakana noted that, within moments of them curling up, seven young teens were fast asleep.

 

 

Morning came too soon. Tsukiko came to slowly, bleary and somehow still exhausted. She carefully turned her head, finding Kohaku curled up in a ball beside her. The other girl was still fast asleep, breathing slow and deep.

A snore attracted her attention again; nearby, Seiko cuddled into her bedding more like a tired kitten. There was an annoyed grunt nearby. Tsukiko immediately recognized the tone and smiled a little bit. Rena shuffled a bit, and she heard the distinct sound of her pushing a pillow on her.

Slowly, Tsukiko pushed herself up. In the corner, Myeong slowly combed out her hair. She was knelt, pulling the peach hair into a bun. Tsukiko couldn’t help but smile at the sight. Of course, she’d try to keep to schedule, even in such strange times.

“Myeong?”

Myeong glanced over her shoulder, then smiled a bit.

“Can I join you?”

 

 

“I’m really sorry about all of this.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean… you and everyone went and got in trouble just to come help me. You snuck out of school, Rena and Seiko probably will get in trouble, and Kohaku still is sleeping.”

“Usagi.”

“Huh?”

“Did you really think I’d just run away from the chance to find you?”

“It’s not that…”

“Explain?”

“I, well. Shouldn’t you think I shoulda fought back? Tried to pretend I didn’t remember? Just… do more than what I did?”

“…”

“Myeong?”

“Why did you keep your hair in the odango buns?”

“I. I liked them. It was… It was like I got to keep you.”

“That’s why I’m not mad.”

“Huh?”

“Bunny, I can’t blame you for coming back. You were blind for so long; getting to see them all must have been wonderful. I would have been sad if you tried to let us go, sure, but… You kept my last gift.”

“My hair style?”

“Mhm. Seeing you in the dango buns made me really happy.”

“…I didn’t want to go.”

“I had a feeling.”

“But everyone seemed so excited about seeing me again, and the Hyuuga wanted to see me again, and… and I felt like I could be something here.”

“Kohaku told us about it. What happened? Why was he so interested in you?”

“You’ll get it once you see him.”

“What do you mean?”

“Let’s head back. If that hoard of guards in front of the door is any sign, we’re about to have an audience with someone way too powerful.”

 

 

The old man took a puff from his pipe. He regarded the young woman in front of him, watching her stern eyes and unwavering expression. She sat seiza style on the ground, bo staff before her. Sarutobi was impressed by her frown, the way she looked straight ahead, refusing to even flinch. A strong warrior in training, she was.

“I appreciate you agreeing to speak to me, Myeong-chan.”

Her brows narrowed. A tiny tell, he knew, and one she let him see. “It’s an honor, Sandaime-sama.”

Beside her, Tsukiko had a stiffer pose. She squeezed the hem of her skirt nervously. “It’s an honor to have you in our home, Sandaime-sama.”

He nodded, then sat his pipe down. The ANBU beside him picked it up and moved it away. “I suppose I should get to why I wished to speak to you, Myeong-san.”

A brief, tight tip of her head.

“When you arrived yesterday, I could sense something was different from you. I have some suspicions about you, and there’s one way I can properly confirm them.”

Tsukiko squeezed her hands a bit.

“I want you to fight one of our ninja.”

Myeong jolted up. Tsukiko’s eyes went wide as she covered her gasp. Doing her best to remain calm, Myeong griped her knees.

“When you say fight, what kind of match are you talking about?”

A smile, one Tsukiko narrowed her eyes at, appeared on the Hokage’s face. “Just a friendly sparring match, nothing to the death. No need to be suspicious of me.”

“Suspicious people tend to say that,” Myeong commented.

The Hokage laughed but waved a little at her. “True, very true. But I do mean what I say, young one. I simply wish to gauge your abilities.”

Kohaku’s hand drew their attention to the side. Myeong glanced out of the corner of her eye and frowned at the concern in her brow. They shared a knowing look for a moment, before both nodded. Myeong reached a hand to grip Tsukiko’s without looking and turned back to him.

She focused on the man once more. “I will spar someone, Hokage-sama. But only if they are close to my age and how you perceive my skill level.”

The Hokage smiled. He held out a hand and his pipe was placed in it, filled with tobacco and lit. “Smart girl, taking initiative. I accept those terms and can think of a perfect opponent for you.”

Tsukiko blinked a few times before cocking her head curiously. “Someone in mind? Who, sir?”

 

 

The sparring ground near the Uchiha compound wasn’t the nicest place to have a match. Several generations of fire wielding ninja certainly left their mark. Parts of the grass grew in a strange shade of brown; other sections were permanently charred and scarred. What remained was a faint scent of burnt leaves. Usagi could barely hold back a cringe at the scene.

Beside her, Myeong wrapped her hands in a pair of bandages. She looked comfortable in the clothes Wakana gave her. Myeong changed into a light orange tunic and a pair of black leggings. She boasted a pair of black ninjas shoes and gloves, along with a long red sash around her hips. Myeong’s long hair was tied in a bun high on her head in a white ribbon.

Usagi’s eyes drifted over to her friend’s chosen opponent. The Hokage kept his word; the genin was close to their age. He even had his Jonin-sensei too, hyping him up loudly from across the field. The younger looked like a tiny version of his sensei. Usagi tuned them out quickly. They really weren’t her concern.

Neji Hyuuga, one of her distant cousins, had come with his sensei. He leaned against a tree with a twin-bun haired girl nearby. Hiashi Hyuuga came too, watching with a discerning gaze. While Usagi wasn’t surprised he found out, she was worried as to why he showed up. Hiashi wasn’t a curious man. If he deemed a simple test of mettle worthy of his attention, she feared what might be on his mind.

“Myeong?” The taller girl turned away from her wrapping. “Are you sure you wanna fight him? If, if you’re doing this for the sake of it, I—”

The young fighter shook her head. “It’s not about that, Bunny.”

“Then why? You’ve got nothing to prove.”

“Course I do. Your Hokage—weird title, by the way—was eyeing me as a threat yesterday and today.”

Usagi huffed. “But you’re not! You’d never hurt anyone!”

Myeong offered a small smile. “I look like one to him, though. I mean, I came in wielding a bo staff and looking frazzled. He probably wants to make sure I’m not dangerous or out of control.”

Usagi glanced down. “But you’re not…”

The two paused; Usagi kept her eyes on the ground, absorbing everything, while Myeong stopped wrapping her wrist. After a moment of consideration, she licked her thumb and stuck the bandage to herself. Myeong pulled Usagi towards her, wrapping her smaller friend into a tight hug.

Usagi’s shoulders sank as she relaxed. Even dressed in ninja grab, she felt familiar. Myeong was warm and wonderful. Her touch soothed all the fear from Usagi. Compared to her, Myeong was stronger and taller, and her embraces felt like a heavy winter blanket you could hide under during the cold nights. Usagi couldn’t be afraid when Myeong gave her hugs.

Myeong was warm. Safe. Strong.

There was a cough. Kakashi gave the girls a wave and, reluctantly, the two parted. Usagi joined the others, watching from afar. Myeong gave Usagi and the others a little salute, then trotted off to the middle of the field.

Something inside Usagi’s chest felt tight. Tight… and burning hot.

 

Myeong and her opponent quickly shook hands and introduced themselves. Lee had some intense eyes, she noticed. Between his furrowed brows and adorable frown, he looked like a mini version of his mentor. However, she couldn’t think too much on it.

Instead, Myeong sank into her fighting stance. Her knees fell comfortably into the familiar squat. Lee slide into his own stance, one hand behind his back and the other raised in front of him. He held her gaze steadily, unwavering.

The Hokage really did pick someone akin to her.

“Myeong-san!”

She jolted a bit. Lee paused for a moment before breaking into a beautiful smile. “Let’s not hold back on each other!”

Oh. Myeong smiled back and nodded. “No holding back!”

Kakashi stepped between the two, hand raise high. “Ready?”

Both nodded. He dropped the hand.

 

Usagi stared wide-eyed at the fight. Myeong and Lee clashed together at a blinding speed. Between Lee using his body as a weapon and Myeong using her staff as an extension of herself, the two barely paused. If Lee struck a kick, Myeong blocked it. If Myeong tried to swipe his legs, Lee dodged. The wo moved in a sort of united harmony, perfectly matched.

“Wow,” Seiko gasped.

“Mm,” Kohaku replied, “I’ve never seen anything quite like it.”

Rena didn’t say anything. Curious, Usagi poked her friend, who gave her a half-hearted nudge. She seemed almost wistful.

“She looks happy,” Rena murmured.

Three heads snapped over to her. Rena leaned on the fence blocking off the fight. “Look at her. Myeong always had to hold back at school. But here? With him? Lee is reveling in her power.”

Usagi glanced back to the fight in time to see Lee drop a hammer kick on Myeong’s staff. She held him fast, using her full strength to hold him back. In a heartbeat, she shoved him back, pushing him onto a single foot and turning to send a side kick at him. Lee caught her foot and shoved back, forcing both to reset their stances and refocus.

Yet, even in such a violent fight… she was smiling.

“She does look happy,” Usagi whispered. “Like she’s having fun.”

Rena shrugged a bit. “I mean, she’s ridiculously strong. I don’t blame her for enjoying a fight against an opponent who can match her.”

 

“Very impressive,” Sarutobi hummed. He puffed his pipe from his sitting spot with the elders of the Uchiha household. It wasn’t difficult to guess who was most proud of the sight. Wakana had clasped her hands, watching Myeong with maternal pride. “I see a strong warrior to come from her.”

Shisui grinned at Wakana, while Itachi hummed. “Myeocchi has some chops, doesn’t she?”

Wakana paused. “Myeocchi?”

“She’s gotta get a nickname now that she’s family!”

Itachi chuckled softly. But he stopped suddenly, turning to look over to Usagi and the other girls. “Shisui.”

“Hm?” He looked over and jolted. “Oh God.”

 

Myeong caught Lee’s foot. She shoved him back, enjoying him skid across the ground briefly. After a moment of resetting, the two stared each other down, smirking and enjoying their fight.

Until, that is, Myeong heard something she didn’t like.

“Stop talking to her like that! _Tirate a un poso, hijo de puta_!”

Myeong and Lee both cracked their necks looking over at the sight. Hiashi Hyuuga and Neji Hyuuga were over by them. From what it looked like, Neji and Rena were getting up in each other’s faces. Seiko had pulled Usagi away, guarding her from the two.

“Speak in a language the rest of us can understand. You sound like an idiot,” Neji informed her.

Rena pulled her face into a snarl. “ _Chinga a tu madre_!”

“Rena!” Seiko gasped.

“He deserves it! They both do!”

Myeong glanced back at Lee. The two shared a brief look, then nodded. Myeong bolted over, dropping her staff as she went. Lee quickly followed.

Seiko was first to notice her. While Rena spewed vulgar insults at the two white-eyed men, she gingerly patted Usagi’s head. When Myeong touched Usagi, the blonde girl jolted up. There was something in her eyes the young warrior didn’t like.

“What did he say to her?” she asked.

The gentler girl sighed. “Neji came over and suggested… well, he said that Usagi should just go back to the Hyuuga compound since it was clear she’d never reach their levels.”

Myeong blinked, then turned back. She squared up, reading to go after him, when Usagi grabbed her wrist. Her small hand burned hot.

“Don’t,” she whispered. “It’s not worth it.”

There was a beat of silence before Myeong offered a smile. She cupped Usagi’s face with her other hand and leaned in, kissing her forehead. “It’s not,” she replied softly. “You are, though.”

Rena was in the middle of another furious Spanish-filled insult when Myeong gently patted her shoulder. She stopped, then nodded as she looked at her. Myeong stepped forward, eyes firm on the two.

“If you’re not here to watch a sparring match, get lost,” she informed them. “And don’t speak to Usagi again if all you’re going to do is act like assholes.”

Hiashi gave her a scathing look. Myeong barely moved when she glared up at him. “I know exactly what happened with you lot. Throwing her away like that and now wanting her back? You’re pathetic at best.”

Neji returned the glare. “Don’t talk to a clan head like that.”

“Don’t talk like you have any say in this,” Myeong hissed back. “I don’t recall the Hokage inviting you.”

Hiashi didn’t move. Myeong leveled a fresh glare at Hiashi, rage in her eyes.

Usagi, feeling a little brave, stepped out of Seiko’s arms. She patted Myeong’s shoulder and pulled her attention back. “Myeong-chan, it’s alright. Cmon, I wanna watch you fight some more.”

Before Myeong could offer her friend a smile, Neji sniffed, “That was a pathetic fight. You don’t even have any chakra.”

Kohaku growled. Myeong didn’t even need to look to see Kakashi was holding onto the back of her shirt. Instead, she returned her eyes to Neji. “Get. Lost.”

That was when Hiashi approached Myeong. He towered over her, probably outweighed her too. He leaned into her face, barely a few inches. “Or. What.”

Myeong felt her blood boil.

“You don’t have any power here. You’re without chakra.”

Something hot fizzled inside her.

“You don’t get to decide anything here.”

Usagi’s hand on her shoulder trembled. The fire inside her raged hotter, brighter.

“Now, answer me. What exactly will you do?”

There was a sharp crack inside her. Usagi yelped, pulling back her hand. Something smelled burnt. Myeong twisted her fist. It felt like she held a fire in her hand.

“This!”

And she raised her on fire hand and shoved it firmly into his face.


	6. 6. Running Errands

Shizune stared at the test results. No matter how many times she analyzed the results, nothing made sense. Chakra doesn’t randomly appear in people, especially not as violently as it did in her patient.

It was three in the afternoon, and she had been working since nine on this very strange case. ANBU dragged in a young girl, barely in her teens, six hours ago at the Hokage’s orders. They were seemingly simple orders, really.

But this girl, she was an odd one.

She called herself Yi Myeongsuk, and the way she wrote her name surprised her. It reminded her of the writing from Tea Country. She submitted to her chakra tests easily, didn’t complain a bit about any of the needles or pokes she had to give her.

It was her words that confused her. During her interview, Myeong said things she didn’t understand a bit.

“Yi Myeongsuk?”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Can you tell me about the events that lead to this?”

“It’s hard to explain.”

“Try me.”

And she did. She told her the story about coming through a portal from another world, about a friend she feared lost, about fighting for the right to stay beside her.

And about the fire that burned so hot in her, it appeared onto her hands.

Chakra, in its purest form, is energy. Everyone she ever knew was born with some version of it inside their bodies. It’s a person’s lifeforce made into strength. While chakra could be built upon, it couldn’t just be born into existence like nothing.

Except, in this case, it just was.

There was a knock at her door. Shizune perked up and felt a flare of chakra. She smiled and called, “Come in!”

Wakana poked her head into the door and offered a wave. “Good afternoon, Shizune-sensei.”

The medic smiled wryly. “You don’t need to call me sensei anymore, Wakana-chan.”

Her student returned the grin. “Doesn’t matter, you’re always my sensei.”

“I should have never taken you on as my apprentice, cheeky brat.”

Wakana continued her cheeky grin. Shizune shook her head, watching Wakana come in and pulling up a chair to sit with her. “Any answers for what happened yet?”

“I should be asking you that,” Shizune grumbled. “I’ve gone over everything time and again, and I still can’t find an answer. Chakra doesn’t appear the way hers did!”

“And yet it did,” Wakana sighed. “I tried to figure out where her coils came from when I healed her wounds, but Myeong just… created chakra in her anger.”

“I can’t say I blame her for being mad,” Shizune muttered. She turned another page, picking up a pen. “What did those coils look like, by the way? I didn’t get to see them fresh.”

Wakana nodded. “It was the oddest thing, really. Her coils looked like a newborn baby’s coils—bright and brand new looking. I even sent a chakra jolt through and everything looked perfect.”

“No overloading or any indication she might have been ill?”

Wakana shook her head. “It’s like they had been right there the whole time, and suddenly there was a jolt strong enough to activate them.”

Shizune groaned and laned back in her chair, arms crossed over her chest. “Looks like I won’t be able to write up any reports for the Hokage just yet. Can’t exactly report on nothing.”

Her student gave a sympathetic smile. “At least you’ll have extra time to analyze her. The Sandaime gave all three girls permission to stay with us, after seeing her show of strength.”

“By the way,” Shizune asked, “where are your kiddos?”

Wakana shifted, lifting her hand. “Team Seven is out on a couple D-ranks today.” She set down her index finger. “Shisui and Itachi are training Myeong in chakra control.” Down went her middle finger. “I sent Tsukiko and Seiko to pick up tofu and porkchops for dinner.” Her ring finger was next. “And Rena and Kohaku are grabbing vegetables.”

Shizune chuckled. “Sounds like you’ve got a nice full house, don’t you?”

“And I won’t lie, sensei; I love it.”

 

“I can’t read that,” Usagi groaned.

Seiko glanced up from her list, confusion knitting her brows together. “What?”

“I said,” Usagi groaned again, rubbing her hands on her face, “I can’t read these kanji.”

There was a beat of silence before Seiko absorbed what she said. It wasn’t the most flattering thing to hear, true, but the blush on Usagi’s face told her everything. Seiko folded the grocery list up again and joined Usagi.

She honestly felt bad for the blonde girl. Usagi had a display case of meat in front of her, and she didn’t know how to read the kanji on them yet. Maybe if it was katakana or hiragana, but she was still recovering her language skills. Seiko reached up to pat her head, and Usagi sighed.

“Don’t feel bad, Bunny. It takes time for these things, you know?” When Usagi looked up at her, she gave a comforting smile. “I’m here to help you out, you know? Don’t worry about it.”

“Can I see the list?” Usagi asked. Seiko handed the list to her and watched her analyze the list like it held the secrets of the world. While she searched for the kanji she mentioned, Seiko rang the bell for the butcher.

 

Kohaku realized Rena wasn’t behind her anymore a half second after she stopped hearing her footsteps. She looked over her shoulder, eyes scanning for her.

Rena was knelt beside some flowers. One hand gingerly cupped a flower between her fingers, admiring the red bloom. Kohaku wandered over and joined her. “Carnations, huh?” she commented.

“Yeah,” Rena replied. “These are exceptionally beautiful. I hope I can come buy one before they fade.”

“Why not pick one up now?”

Both girls glanced up at the new voice. An older gentleman with very long hair stood at the doorway, hands set on his hips. In his right hand was a pair of scissors. He smiled at the two of them. “Afternoon!”

Rena jolted up, eyes stuck on the man. Kohaku tried hard not to laugh at her very wide eyes. “ _Dios mio_ don’t frighten a girl like that!”

He laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’m sorry, kiddo,” he teased. “You just looked so absorbed in the flowers!”

Kohaku brushed off her pants a bit, giving her a moment to remember the man’s name. She didn’t think for very long. He walked over and gave a little bow.

“Yamanaka Inoichi, at your service. And you are?”

Rena returned the bow. “Inez Rena, Yamanaka-san. Did you grow these yourself?”

Yamanaka-san waved a hand. “Nah, I’m not here enough to do such lovely work. My wife and daughter are the excellent florists here.” Kohaku tried to hide her smile at Rena’s bright eyes. Yamanaka-san went over to the carnation she admired and knelt too. “Are you looking to give this to someone?”

The Spanish girl shook her head. “It’d be more for myself, really. I like to wear them in my hair.”

That surprised him, if the disappearing eyebrows said anything. “Really? Show me how.” He quickly snipped off the flower, leaving a couple centimeters of stem on it. He passed it over to her, and Rena didn’t skip a beat. She parted the black locks a bit by her ear, tucking the flower in them. To finish the look, she brought her braid back over her shoulder.

Kohaku whistled. Rena proceeded to turn beet red at that. “ _Cayate!”_

“It does look nice,” Yamanaka-san commented. “Might need to mention making flowers into hair accessories to someone.”

Rena gently touched the flower in her hair, offering him a bit of a smile. “I suppose they’d work in dark hair best… blonde hair would look better with cooler colored flowers, or striped ones.”

“Really? Can you suggest any specifics?”

“Well, first I’d suggest forget-me-nots or pansies for lighter hair, since they’re cool colored and contrast nicely. As for shades of brown…”

Yamanaka perked up listening to her. Kohaku covered her mouth, pretending to think.

Like hell she was gonna interrupt this.

 

Usagi sighed, carrying out the meat and tofu in a bag. Seiko had to do all the ordering for them. She kept her gaze down, examining the pound of tofu they picked up.

“Stop looking like that,” Seiko insisted. “You did nothing wrong!”

“But I did!” Usagi insisted. “I didn’t help at all with this aside from being the muscle.”

Seiko patted her back. “But you did! And muscle is much needed when groceries are concerned.”

Usagi pouted again, still looking at the groceries again. Her friend sighed and reached over, patting her back and comforting her. Unconsciously, Usagi found herself leaning into Seiko’s touch a bit. Her soft hand drifted up, patting her head a moment.

“Oh! Tsu—er, Usagi-neechan!”

Both girls glanced up. Coming down the road, Naruto waved happily. Sasuke and Sakura lagged behind him, with Kakashi behind them all still. The blond boy almost bounced over to Usagi, a giant grin spread on his face.

“Naru-kun!” Usagi cried, quickly opening her arms to him. The two blondes squished their faces together, whiskered cheeks on pink and pale ones. “Did you guys train today?”

The pink haired girl—Sakura, Seiko learned earlier—shook her head. “We did a bunch of D-rank missions today. Sensei,” she jabbed a thumb at the man behind her, “said he wanted to get done early and speak to Itachi-san.”

Sasuke grunted. “I say he just wants to hit on Wakana-san more.”

“That’s only secondary,” Kakashi quipped. “No need to flirt constantly when she’s already going to marry me.”

Sasuke’s face scrunched up into a scowl.

“Hold up,” Seiko interjected. “You’re the guy Wakana-san’s gonna marry?”

Kakashi glanced up and offered a cheeky wave.

“You are! Man, Kohaku sure had her misgivings about you.”

The pale haired man blinked a bit. Around him, all the kids giggled in varying intensities. Sasuke smirked; Naruto hid his way too big grin behind a hand; Sakura kept her folded hands in front of her face, hiding her smile; Usagi covered her mouth with her free hand, shoulders shaking in delight; and Seiko grinned, all her teeth bright. Kakashi didn’t stop their chuckles, only stepping over to Usagi and taking her bag of tofu.

“Maa, maa,” he finally sighed, “sounds like you three want to get driven into the ground tomorrow.”

Everyone went silent. After a beat, Kakashi smiled and gave them a wave. “Alright, enough staring. Time to get you three back to Itachi and Shisui.”

 

Myeong breathed slowly, eyes closed. She sat up straighter, hands folded in her lap. Everything in her body felt alive, warm, burning from inside and slowly coming out. Myeong took a long, heavy breath, before letting it out. Her nose produced smoke like a giant dragon.

“Good, Myeocchi,” Shisui praised. “That’s your chakra you found. All that smoke is good.”

Itachi hummed beside her. “Lots of fire-type chakra will produce all that smoke in someone. Uchiha children do that all the time.”

“Just stay focused for a bit more. Wakacchi and Shizune-san are gonna check your reserves.”

Myeong gave a little nod. Two hands pressed on her, one hand on her belly and the other on her back. She took a deep breath and held it for a moment. Myeong felt a warmth in her belly, spreading outwards. Her legs twitched a bit, wanting to wiggle from the tickling sensation.

“Reserves look normal.” Wakana muttered. “Coils appear to be at a width of 8 millimeters, extending from the yang base in her stomach. Coils extend across the majority of patient’s front, tapering off at toes.”

Shizune nodded behind her. “Sounds like untrained coils alright.” Another ticklish feeling spread from the small of her back and outwards. Myeong bit her lip, holding back giggles. Shizune’s other hand gently pinched her cheek. “No giggling, kiddo.”

“Sorry,” Myeong whispered.

The doctor didn’t respond, only carefully looking into Myeong’s body. After a few moments, she lifted her hand back. “Yang reserves look normal too. Eight millimeters, extending throughout her body. Everything looks fine.”

Both doctors pulled back, giving Myeong some space. She let out her breath in a huff, before falling into a fit of hysterical giggles. Wakana rolled her eyes as Myeong rolled onto her side.

“Nothing out of the ordinary, then?” Itachi asked.

“Nothing at all,” Wakana replied. “It’s certainly a very odd case to look at, especially knowing she didn’t have chakra before.”

Shisui nodded, kneeling by the giggling girl. “I personally don’t care, really. Myeocchi’s my darling little sis now!” His arms wrapped around her, fingers wiggling on her side. Myeong’s laughter pitched higher in cheer.

“Shisui, knock it off,” Itachi scolded.

“Nope.”

Wakana rolled her eyes at the sight. “That being said, I need you to start helping with her training. Fire chakra is too volatile to ignore.”

Shizune nodded, stepping around Myeong and Shisui’s tickling fest. “And she’s got strong reserves. She could easily become a very strong ninja with the right training.”

Shisui stood up, holding a wiggling Myeong in his arms. “She’s got us! And Guy-sensei was excited to see her fight Lee so hard.” One hand ruffled her hair as Myeong’s giggles died out. “He wants to teach her too, since she’s got amazing abilities at her age.”

Wakana smiled, chest puffing up a bit in pride. “That’s a perfect idea.”

The conversation stopped when Itachi’s head snapped toward the door. Shisui smiled and set Myeong down, who slumped in a giggle on her butt, and the man wandered out the door. Shizune shook her head a bit, kneeling to pack up her supplies.

“Sensei, just stay for dinner,” Wakana insisted. “I had the kiddos buy enough for everyone.”

Shisui’s voice called through the hallway. “Wakacchi!”

Both Wakana and Shizune glanced at each other, then wandered out of the room toward the door. The older medic almost fell into a fit of hysterical giggles at the sight.

In the doorway, Kohaku offered a wave. She also happened to have a giant crowd behind her, from Team Seven to Guy-sensei and, strangely enough, two members of the Yamanaka family.

“Hi mom,” Kohaku greeted nervously. “Uh… can my friends come in?”


	7. 7. How It Begins

Konoha, while a larger village, had an issue with rumors spreading fast. Everyone knew everyone in some way, be it through school, training, family links, or all the above. So when a rumor started up, it flew through the village the same way a small bird would. The rumor would evolve and by the time it reached the right ears, nobody knew who started it or where it went.

But kids didn’t care. At least until it involved them.

Each day started the same. Usagi and Myeong would get up together for a morning walk, usually joined by Lee or Itachi or Shisui. Seiko and Rena would be up next, going to the kitchen and helping Wakana make breakfast for their big family—on a slow day, the breakfast table had at least ten. Sasuke, Naruto, and Kohaku would be up last, stretching out and slow to get out of their shared room. There was a good chance the three would miss breakfast altogether.

The day’s activities began after that. Once dishes were cleared, Itachi pulled Rena and Seiko away to study. Myeong would be off to morning training with Gai and his team. Team Seven would head off for morning D-ranks while Kakashi personally trained Usagi and Kohaku.

“Just a moment, Kohaku.”

Said girl stopped wrapping her wrists and glanced up. Kakashi approached, unhurried. Beside her, Usagi stopped too.

“Kohaku-chan?” she asked softly.

“It’s cool, Bunny,” she replied. “Meet me inside, kay?”

Usagi nodded, standing up and trotting off. Kakashi and Kohaku watched her leave. Once she was out of earshot, Kohaku turned back to Kakashi and plopped down on the ground.

“Alright, pops, whatcha wanna talk about?”

“Pops?” Kakashi wondered aloud. He shook his head and joined Kohaku on the ground. “You seem awful calm about this.”

Kohaku offered a small shrug. “Figured we’d need to talk eventually. Honestly, though? I have questions for you.”

“Depends. Nothing dirty.”

Kohaku stuck out her tongue at him. Kakashi raised a brow at her then. “Go ahead.”

The goofy expression on Kohaku’s face faded, giving birth to a heavy silence. “Are you my birth father?”

There was a heavy silence between them. After the moment passed, Kakashi let out an equally heavy sigh.

“I am not.”

Kohaku’s eyes dropped to her knees. “Did you know him?”

Kakashi shook his head.

“I see.” Kohaku didn’t speak for a moment. The older sensei filled the silence instead.

“That’s actually what I wished to speak to you about.”

Kohaku jolted up a little.

“As you’ve probably guessed by now,” he began easily, “your mother and I are engaged.”

“Kinda figured,” Kohaku shrugged. “You keep coming over and having dinner with us.”

He gave a short, easy laugh. “Fair enough. But there is something I’d like to address with you.” Kakashi shifted onto his knees, back straightened. Kohaku echoed the pose. “When Wakana and I marry, I would like to formally adopt you.”

Kohaku’s eyes went wide in a blink. “What?”

Kakashi nodded. “I don’t have any children of my own. I’d rather have you take my last name and heritage than have the village elders argue about it when I’m gone.”

Kohaku gave a little nod, absently. The elder teacher reached out, placing a heavy hand on her head.

“Don’t worry too much about it,” he assured her. “And don’t think about it too hard too soon. Your mother would kill me if I put too much on you. Just keep it in the back of your mind for now.”

She peered up at him a bit, watching his visible eye. Kakashi didn’t look away from her wondering eyes, didn’t flinch at all. After a moment, Kohaku nodded. “Alright. I’ll… think about it.”

 

“Before we break for lunch!”

Myeong glanced up from her stretch. Lee behind her stopped pushing on her back to give his sensei his attention. Out in the training field, his voice boomed louder than anything. Gai, somehow, didn’t seem to notice—or care, more likely.

Tenten nearby stopped writing her seals on the scrolls, packing away her weaponry. “What on earth is he all worked up about?” she whispered to Neji, sitting on her left.

“No idea,” he muttered back, “but it’s probably dumb.”

Gai stepped over by his students and posed proudly. “Now, now! You three have been working so hard with me! So I’ve decided now is the best time for you!” He paused, reaching into his vest pocket. Gai pulled out three forms, grinning wide. “Here! I say you are ready for the chunin exams!”

Tenten paused, jaw dropped for a brief moment, before springing up. She rushed to him and pulled the forms, eyes darting over them. Tenten’s face lit up then and announced, “Chunin exam release forms!”

Lee let out a shout of ‘Yosh!’ and hugged Myeong, toppling her onto the ground. She laughed and rolled with his heavy hug, rolling on her back to force him off. The excited boy almost giggled with glee. Gai stepped over to them, offering a hand to Myeong.

“My apologies, Myeong-chan. While you’ve trained with us I can’t get you this form...”

Myeong squeezed Gai’s hand. “No, don’t be like that! It’s fine! I’ll just need to cheer you on from here.”

Lee sat up, eyes curious. Myeong held out her hand to him, helping him up to his feet too. He popped up as Gai placed a heavy hand on Myeong’s head. 

“Cheer us on, Myeong-chan! We’ll appreciate the support here. And don’t worry.” He offered her a sparkling smile. “I’m sure this time next year the Hokage will know you’re ready!”

 

“Rena-chan?” Said girl glanced over her shoulder. “Can I walk with  you to the Yamanaka shop?”

Said girl stared for a moment at her friend. Kohaku stood behind her, face oddly steeled in a neutral frown. Rena leaned back to slide on her shoes and stood.

“Of course you can,” she replied. “But what’s with the face? You look like hell warmed over,”

Kohaku didn’t grace that with a response. Instead, she sat down on the edge, picking up her own shoes and sliding them on. Rena didn’t like her downcast eyes or her stern expression. Once she was done, Kohaku stood again.

“I... I need to talk to someone about some serious things. Yamanaka-san seems like a good fit for the job.”

Rena watched Kohaku’s face for a moment. She noted the furrow in her brows, the way her lips drooped, and the dark thoughts clouding in her eyes. The spaniard reached out and set her hand on Kohaku’s head.

“You get lost in whatever’s in your head you’ll forget I’m standing here,” Rena scolded, even if her words lacked any bite. “Come here and tell me all your worries.”

 

Afternoons weren’t lazy in the mixed Uchiha house. Itachi made certain of that/ Once morning lessons were done, he’d pull his young niece into the sitting room and have her work on her kanji. Sometimes you could find Kohaku or Myeong with them, quizzing her on her slowly-developing language.

Seiko lifted a flash card, glancing briefly at the kanji on it. “What’s this one, bunny?”

The blonde girl about bounced in place, her lips quirked slightly. “I know that one! I do!” 

Her friend gave her a cheshire grin. “Well? Cmon, bunny, spit it out!”

Usagi made a frustrated little noise and pointed at the kanji. “It’s woman!”

Seiko jabbed a finger back at her. “Right! So! When I add this to it, what does it say?” Seiko held up a second card, waiting for a response.

That made Usagi grin. “Ko! That means child! So, so together they are ‘onnako!’ Girl!”

From another part of the table, Itachi smiled to him. Hearing his niece struggle with language was harder than he expected, but he knew she’d need to relearn everything. Now that her blue eyes could see, touching everything for braille wasn’t acceptable anymore. Her friends proved to be immensely helpful, helping her study and learn kanji at a quick rate.

From the kitchen, Wakana barked out a laughed. Itachi perked up and quickly threw out a strand of chakra, checking for her. 

“Relax, worrywart,” she scolded him. “I found Myeong’s bento in here.”

Usagi and Seiko swiveled their heads to the door. Wakana stood there, in her apron, holding a bento wrapped up in a green cloth. She shook her head, an amused smile spreading on her face.

“Must have forgotten it when she bolted out of here this morning,” she sighed. “Tsukiko, Seiko, can you go deliver this to her?”

The two girls gave a nod, carefully getting to their feet. “What field is she on?”

 

Rena was pleasantly surprised by the beetle crawling on her hand.

She was outside, watering the flowers around the shop. The spring air was warming the world up faster than it should and every plant outside the Yamanaka flower shop knew it. The aster flowers popped up, the hydrangeas bloomed, and the last of the lilacs spread their scent across the air. Rena wore a short sleeved shirt with her apron, soaking up the quickly-arriving summer.

However, upon noticing a tiny crawling creature on her head, Rena paused. It wasn’t a massive beetle; it was too early for Hercules beetles and too bright for most others, too. A pollinating beetle, she decided. 

Rena smiled a bit and set her watering can on the ground, opening her palm for the tiny creature. It skittered across her hand before settling in the center. "Well, hello, little friend. What brings you here today?"

It didn't respond. In such a weird world, Rena wondered if it ever would. But she gingerly stroked the beetle's back with her other hand. "You should know, the lilacs are about to go out of season. If you're looking to enjoy them before they're gone for the season, I suggest you try them."

The beetle remained still through the petting. Rena hummed again, wondering briefly why he was so content just sitting on her skin. She didn't wonder long, however. The tiny beetle quickly spread its wings and lifted off, buzzing away from her.

Not too far, though. Rena watched the tiny beetle flutter only a few feet away, onto the hands of a boy. A... strange boy. 

For all the summer heat, he was in a heavy looking jacket, covering half of his face. The little beetle scampered up his sleeve, like it belonged there. The boy glanced up then from the bug, gaze straight at Rena.

A flush rose on her cheeks. “W-what?”

The boy stepped over, still giving her some space to move. He didn’t reach out to touch her; instead, he put his hands into his pockets. “You’re awfully gentle with a beetle that could easily eat the flowers you’re working on.”

Rena shrugged. “It’s a beetle. It’s nature. Not my place to hurt it.” She picked up the watering can again, looking to get started again.

“It’s just a beetle,” he replied. “Yet you’re gentle and soft spoken. Until someone comes over to you. Why? I suppose you’re embarrassed.”

Rena let out a squawk at that, clutching the watering can. “W-what?! No! I’m not embarrassed!” 

From behind his glasses, Rena could almost sense his raised brows.

“Don’t give me that look.”

“You can’t tell what look I’m giving you.”

Rena huffed, glancing away. She tried to quiet her burning cheeks with a rub, but the flush refused to fade. After a few moments, Rena wondered if he was going to walk away. Instead, he stepped forward again.

“Aburame Shino.”

She glanced up again, eyes surprised. “Excuse me?”

“My name,” he continued, “is Aburame Shino.”

Rena absorbed his words for a moment. Shino, huh? “I’m Rena Inez. Nice to meet you, I guess.”

 

"We're lost," Seiko announced blandly. Usagi sighed a bit, shaking her head a bit.

"We are not lost, Seiko. We just took a wrong turn and have to go a different way."

"Yeah, lost."

Usagi rolled her eyes again, but didn't reply. Walking to the field was nice, and she appreciated the break from studying. Seiko took care to follow her close, but she enjoyed the free air too. The other girl took a sip of her water bottle, then let out a sigh. "At least it's sunny and warm out."

"Agreed! And not too hot either, thankfully. I hope Myeong hasn't eaten anything yet."

Seiko nodded at that. She peered at her friend from the corner of her eye, then asked, "Hey, Bunny? Did your hand ever heal properly?"

The blonde girl paused, then lifted up her hand. In the center of her palm was a faded red tomoe. "Not yet, no. It's healed in such a weird way, too..."

Her friend patted her head. "If it gets too bad, you should tell someone."

She nodded. "I will, I promise."  


"Does it ever hurt much?"

Usagi shook her head. "Only in certain.. circumstances. I've only felt it once, when I was touching Myeong the day she punched Hiashi Hyuuga."

Seiko huffed again, sipping her water bottle once more before announcing, "Asshole deserved it. 'You would be worth far more as a bride to the Hyuuga household than trying to fruitlessly struggle here.'" She stuck out her tongue, like the words tasted bad in her mouth. "Scumbag."

"Now, now! No need to bash him more, Seiko-chan. The burn Myeong left is more than enough."

The two chuckled a bit before allowing the air to settle around the.  After walking a few moments, Usagi paused and glanced over her shoulder. "Wait, did you hear that?"

Seiko stopped too. She grabbed the fence beside her and hoisted herself up, looking over it. Before Usagi can ask what was going on, Seiko let out a shout. "Hey! Hey! Put that kid down!" Faster than expected, Seiko crawled over the fence and landed behind it with a huff.

"Seiko?!" Usagi yelped, running a few feet to slide around the fence. She gasped at the sight.

Down the alleyway was a fight. And not just any fight, mind you. Naruto and Sakura had two young kids behind them while two others--two unfamiliar ninjas with unfamiliar chakra signatures--were a few feet away. The boy--older, he was older--had a young boy in his hand, holding him up with the sort of ease one could see in carrying a bag. The blonde girl beside him isn't entirely interested with everything, but she did notice Usagi's worried face.

Seiko... Seiko stood in front of the older boy, water bottle clutched in one hand. Usagi could hear her teeth grinding. She bolted over to her friend, immediately grabbing Seiko's hand.

"Put that kid down!" Seiko shouted. 

"Or what?" the boy drawled. His accent was harsh, and he didn't even flinch at Seiko's growl. "Konoha's genin are this weak they send out a civvie with no chakra altogether? Sad~"

Usagi clenched Seiko's hand. 

The blonde girl shrugged. "Kankuro, the blonde one. She's trained. Sheesh, if you can't tell she's a threat, then what kind of ninja are you?"

"Hey!"

"Look!" Usagi shouted, drawing attention to herself. "Look, just, just put the kid down. He's just a kiddo, right? Leave him be."

Kankuro glared over at the two girls, muttering "Shut it" for a brief second. His fist wound back tight, ready to punch the squealing boy in his hands.

"Konohamaru!"

"Knock it off!"

Seiko, in a moment of courage, chucked her water bottle at him. The bottle splattered all over his face, and Kankuro dropped Konohamaru. The older boy coughed and sputtered, giving Konohamaru time to rush over to Naruto. After a few seconds, Kankuro glared back at Seiko.

"Annoying brat--!" He swung his fist again.

Several things happened very quickly then, but somehow felt like a thousand years.

Seiko shoved Usagi away from her.

Usagi gripped her friend's hand tight.

The smell of salt water and seaweed filled the air.

Seiko's hand reached up.

And caught the heavy fist in her grasp.

 

 

 

Usagi's hand burned.


	8. 8. Father, Man, Monster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fair warning y'all. The next branch of this story does involve some very scary topics including child marriage. I want to warn you about this before we get into things here.  
> The next few chapters will be discussing child marriage, rape, and childbirth.
> 
> That being said... 7 months, holy shittu.

Hizuren Sarutobi worked with many shady characters. He was the leader of a ninja village; shady was part of the job title. Every day he had to read people and decide on how much he’d allow them to think he trusted them.

The dark eyed man with a permanent smile on his face unnerved him more than any ANBU ninja he had ever dealt with before. Worse was he had company with him. Being a clan head did give him plenty of firepower behind him if he didn’t get his way.

“You must understand, Sandaime-sama, I only wish to bring my child home.”

The Hokage took a puff of his pipe. Ernest words from a father, or a manipulation. “Have you attempted to speak to her mother? Hatake Wakana--”

“Ningyomura Wakana,” he politely corrected. “Wakana-chan is still my wife, whether she likes this or not.”

Hiruzen regarded the man. His lips tightened around the surname like it was sour in his mouth. “I apologize that this did not get to you in Yamagakure,” the Hokage replied, “but during the Yondaime’s time in office, he annulled the marriage. I have the paperwork here.”

His lips twitched again. Hiruzen knew that twitch anywhere. The man was furious.

“I see,” he replied simply. “I will speak to her about this when we get a chance to do so.”

Hiruzen stood up. “If you intend to have words with Hatake Wakana, allow me to join you. I wish to see her about this.”

And see exactly how she’d react. This man was less a man and more a snake.

Ningyomura Kubutsu smiled. “Absolutely, Sandaime-sama.”

 

Wakana wiped her hands on her apron and sighed. Carrots and potatoes and onions and apples laid out on the kitchen counter, ready for cooking. She sighed, wondering how she got into such a position.

The young woman knew from her youth she’d be a mother, but certainly not to the current brood she had. Mikoto Uchiha co-parented with her while Kohaku and Naruto were infants, and Usagi and Sasuke officially belonged to the Uchiha house. But now? Now she had double the children in her daughter’s friends and her sons’ teammate. Not to mention she also cooked for Itachi AND Shisui AND Kakashi now, and that wasn’t looking to change anytime soon.

Two of their biggest rooms now doubled as bedrooms; one was for Usagi and her girls and the other for Team Seven. Shisui and Itachi pulled out the event table so everyone would be able to sit together. Wakana made ten bentos each evening for her kids. 

A twelve person household. Wakana never imagined her life would be so full.

As she lugged out a giant bag of rice, there was a knock and a chakra flare. Wakana paused briefly, then set aside her rice. Whoever flared must have known someone was in and was looking for a quick response. She wiped off the juices of her work on her apron and hustled to the door.

Someone sent out another chakra strand, this one much more insistent. Wakana groaned as she slipped on her slippers and got to the door. She slide the door open, complaining.

“I’m here, I’m here! Settle down--”

The tall man on her doorstep smiled in a way that froze everything in her body.

“It’s been a long while, Wakana-chan.”

Wakana slammed the door shut.

 

Kankuro was soaked. Head to toe, he was soaked in salty water. Purple makeup ran down his face, staining his black clothes. His puppet was thankfully spared, but him? Water, water everywhere. Beside him was a lost water bottle, now exploded into bits on the ground.

“What,” he gasped, staring at his soaked sleeves hanging off his arms. He tugged at his shirt and watched it flop back to him. “What, what the hell--”

All around him there were giggles. The stupid kids and useless Genin were laughing. The gangly kid who soaked him in water tried to hold her laughter back. Behind him, Temari snorted. Kankuro turned slightly and balked at the sight. His elder, no nonsense sister, had her hands wrapped around herself as she barely held back hysterical giggles. 

“Oh, my god,” the strange, gangly girl gasped. “I, I am so sorry, are you okay?”

“Do I look okay?” he snapped. 

“You look cold,” his elder sister snickered. “Should I dry you off with my fan, Kankuro?”

“This isn’t funny!”

The annoying blonde pointed at him and let loose another round of guffaws. “You’re right! It’s hilarious!”

Kankuro whipped his head around, slapping himself in the face. That sight sent another round of laughter through the group, including the little blonde girl holding her friend’s hand like a lifeline. The puppet ninja growled and pulled on the bandage holding Karasu.

“You brats wanna laugh?” he snarled as the bandages floated up and around him. The genin and the civilians both froze, silent and suddenly afraid. 

“Kankuro! You’re honestly pulling Karasu out now?!” his sister shouted. When he didn’t respond to her shout, she sighed and looked away. “I’ve nothing to do with this.”

Kankuro smirked. “I’ll show you how funny this is--”

_ PING! _

A rock slammed into the back of his head. 

 

Sasuke was never more glad to have a rock in hand.

Underneath him stood several people. Naruto and Sakura were busy keeping the young kids away from the soaked ninja and Seiko had her hand wrapped around Usagi. There was a spilled bento on the ground, a shattered water bottle, and the smell of saltwater in the air. That chakra didn’t belong to anyone he knew in the little group, but the panic and fear in the burst lured him over.

He wasn’t sure who the black-clan ninja was, nor who the blonde one with him was either. But they had the guts to attack his family,  _ his  _ team,  _ WHAT BELONGS TO HIM-- _

The boy took a breath. His sharingan was starting to stir in him and he needed to calm down. This had to end now, before someone saw him getting so pissed off.

“I don’t care what you’re doing to my teammates and sisters,” he hissed, “but you better knock this off.”

The boy in black scoffed at him.

Sasuke’s lips curled up in a snarl. “Get lost!” The other stone in his hand crumpled is his hand

“Or what?” He didn’t move his weapon remotely. “You know, punks like you I hate more than little brats like this.”

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. If he wanted a fight, then he’d get one. The dark haired boy stared down at him, silently calling up his chakra at the ready. Until a grain of sand brushed across him. Sasuke froze. That did not feel like just a grain of sand.

“Kankuro,” a rough voice intoned. The dark ninja let out a full-body shiver. “That’s enough.”

How didn’t he sense the redhead? How didn’t he see him? He was perched upside down on the tree branch beside him and Sasuke knew how to sense people. The chakra he boasted burned in a way that made his guts twist anxiously. 

Something was not right with this boy. 

“You’re a disgrace to our village,” he remarked like he was talking about the weather.

Kankuro offered a guilty smile with something like shame on his face. “Gaara...”

Sasuke briefly felt a pang of relief. He didn’t want to get into a fight right now--not when he was getting vicious and angry. The tension in the room hadn’t faded, but he could think clearly again. Beneath him, Naruto was consoling a crying Konohamaru and Sakura stared up at him with the most affectionate gaze he could stand. Usagi and Seiko relaxed too, the latter giving her small friend a head rub and leaning against her dango hair.

They were safe and his sisters were safe. He could breathe again.

That is, until the leaves around them whipped up into a frenzy. Everyone present turned to the source. Shisui quickly appeared in the flurry, but instead of his usual teasing smile, his face was far, far more stern.

“Shisui-nii-san?” Naruto asked aloud. 

“Seiko, Naruto, Usagi, Sasuke,” he announced loudly, “all of you come with me now.”

The first girl stepped forward. “Shisui-san, what’s going on?”

“Emergency, no time to explain.”

 

Kohaku sighed as she closed the Yamanaka flower shop. Heavy conversations always wore her down, and this one was as heavy as they came.

_ “I don’t know how to be a family heir.” _

_ “None of us do, Ningyohara-chan. Even if you’re born into it, there’s so many things to think about. It’s a process to become one. But if Kakashi thinks you’ll be a good daughter then I have no doubt. Besides, Rena-chan always has a nice thing to say about you.” _

Kakashi was a good man, she knew. A pervert and a smart aleck, yes, but still a good man. He raised her and her siblings along with the Uchiha clan, made them feel so loved and wanted. She still had some faint memories of him raising her and the others so kindly, never raising his voice out of anger. By all means he was her father and she his daughter, even without the offer.

Somehow, the idea of being his daughter in more than spirit scared her. Kohaku paused and rubbed her forehead. This would be giving her a headache.

“Kohaku.”

The teen jumped at the stern tone, turning to her left. Kakashi stood there, eyes dark and concerned. Kohaku knew nothing about how body language worked, but she could sense something was inherently not right.

“Kakashi-san?” she offered up.

“Come with me.” He held out his hand to her, which she took immediately.

“What’s going on?”

“Your father has come for you.”

Kohaku jolted up, eyes wide. She took Kakashi’s hand and squeezed it tight, before asking, “My father? When, what--”

“I’ll explain along the way. Right now we need to leave.”

“Rena--”

“Rena will be informed later. Your mother needs us right now.”

As he spoke, the bell to the shop rang. Rena and Yamanaka-san stepped out. The young brunet still had her hairpin project in hand when she asked. “Kakashi-san?”

Kohaku turned to her friend. “We need to leave right now, Rena.”

Rena glanced up at her boss, who looked over to Kakashi, confusion in his eyes.  The jounin glanced up at the blond man, eye dark. Yamanaka-san paused, then nodded. With that approval, Rena handed her project to her boss and darted over, grabbing Kakashi’s hand too.

They were gone in a swirl of leaves worthy of Shisui.

 

Myeong was home before any of them. After she realized her bento was nowhere to be seen, Gai-sensei released her early with her workout instructions for the day. 

Good thing too, since she had Wakana wrapped up in her arms immediately after she saw the damage done. 

The strong mother figure who could withstand tsunamis was a pile of shaking leaves on the ground. From what Shisui told her, once that monster came into the house, she fled to her room and refused to move an inch. For once, Myeong was grateful for being so tall and could completely envelop people in her arms. Wakana needed to feel guarded and safe.

Myeong covered her adoptive mother in his arms, holding her close. Poor Wakana was a shaking leaf, unable to do anything but quiver and whimper. She couldn’t respond to words. She couldn’t hear anything Myeong said. All she could really do was hold her tight to her chest and pray she felt the warmth there.

“Myeong.”

The young girl looked up at the white-haired ninja. Kakashi was back with Kohaku in tow. Myeong felt Wakana shift a bit, looking up from her bedding and to Kakashi.

“Kakashi...” her voice sounded so weak and small.

Myeong nodded as she stood, allowing Kakashi to kneel beside his bride. The three teenagers hustled out of her room and closed the door without preamble.

“How is she?” Rena whispered. 

“Scared and panicking,” Myeong sighed. “I tried to talk her down, but I think she’s in full panic attack mode.”

Kohaku nodded blankly. 

“Do you two know what is going on?”

Kohaku, again, blankly nodded. If she looked hard enough, Myeong could see the blankness in her head.

Rena sighed and wrapped an arm around her friend. “Kakashi explained things to us on the way. It’s... not pretty.”

The strawberry blonde girl blinked before nodding. “We should wait until Usagi and Seiko get here.”

“Sasuke and Naruto too,” Kohaku interjected. “They’re... they’re my family.”

Myeong nodded. When she wrapped her friend up in her arms, Kohaku felt tinier than usual and more like her mother than ever.

 

Kakashi wrapped the small ball that was Wakana up in his arms. She was always so slight compared to him, but with her trying to curl into his chest and hide from the world, she was just too tiny for words to say. He ran a hand on her head.

“What did he say?” he asked softly.

Wakana sniffled. “He, he wants Kohaku. I don’t know how he found out I was here, how he knows she survived. But he wants her to go back to Yamagakure. He...” Wakana sniffled and gripped his vest hard. “How did he find us?”

Kakashi gingerly ran his hands over her hair in soothing motions. “I do not know,” he whispered, “but I swear to both Kushina and Sensei I will not let him take her from us.”

The poor woman sobbed again, and Kakashi rested his chin on her head. “He’s coming back tonight to take her,” she whimpered. “I can’t fight him. We can’t fight him. He brought the Hokage.”

Above her, the ninja growled. Of course he would bring in Hiruzen into this.

“What are we going to do?”

Kakashi did not know. But still he assured her, “That monster will never, ever have our daughter.”

 

Usagi ‘s group returned to the house in a swirl of leaves. Shisui immediately ushered them in and sent them to their rooms, citing a need to be with Itachi and Wakana. Sasuke and Naruto helped haul the other two into the room as quickly as possible. Naruto was there first, pulling the door open and letting them in immediately.

In their shared room, Kohaku sat with two girls wrapped around her. Myeong had her staff at arm’s length, like she was ready to fight, but still held Kohaku’s hand in her own. Rena was never a very cuddly girl, but she still had an arm around her friend and her chin on her shoulder. 

Usagi felt a pang in her chest.

“Kohaku-nee-chan,” Naruto began, kneeling down beside her. The dark haired girl blinked at him, then reached out. He was a naturally squishy boy and she sank into his offered touch. The other girls settled down with their friends.

Sasuke glanced up at Rena, who had leaned back and away from Kohaku. “Did anyone tell you anything?”

“Do any of us know how old Wakana-san is?”

Seiko and Usagi shared a look. That... was an odd question. “Didn’t she say she’s thirty-two?” the former offered.

“She lied.”

The room froze solid. Naruto kept Kohaku held tight, even with his confused expression on his face. Usagi squeezed her hands against her legs.

“How,” Usagi asked, the words heavy in her throat, “how old is Wakana-san?”

Kohaku spoke up.

“She’s twenty-seven.”

There was a moment of silence. The small group barely breathed.

“Kohaku is... she’s twelve, right?” Seiko stuttered.

“Yeah.”

“And, and if Wakana-san is twenty-seven...”

Kohaku sighed. The group turned back to her as she spoke. “She had me when she was fifteen.”

Naruto squeezed his sister.

“Your mom... had you when she was fifteen.” Seiko’s eyes felt too big for her head and her mouth dry and cracked.

“Yeah,” Kohaku replied. “Had me at fifteen... but she was married to my father at fourteen.” She sank further into her brother’s touch, muffling her tone, but still audible.

“And he’s here for me.”


End file.
